George says:

Such bullshit. The answer to the energy problem and so-called Global Warning has existed since 1951. NUCLEAR!!!

Its a proven technology that countries all over the world (except us it seems) are turning to. Build pebble-bed reactors and forget this wind/solar crap.

Postman says:

#20,

Well except for the part about the nuclear waste, yeah I guess you are right.

Do you realize that all you have to do to become a millionare/billionare is solve the nuclear waste issue? Thats it, figure that one out and you are gold.

Oh and wind costs less than nuclear to deploy.

I am all for Pickens plan, just do it with your own money.

Dallas says:

#17 Go feed your mule. This is a grown up topic.

#19 Right on. Stick around and help train the idiots in here.

#20 Your tunnel visioned simple mind on nuclear is elementary. Maybe a remedial course for you?

#22 Agreed. We also would benefit from a high distributed energy grid that solar and wind allows for. This is over the heads of the idiot sheep in here, though. BTW, Picken’s is putting his own money where his mouth is.

Dennis says:

DALLAS: No, obviously Pickens is NOT. Otherwise, why is he taking federal monies at all? It used to be, in America, that you had an idea, a plan, and brought it to fruition and sold the results as a business. Now it is about taking over federal properties and then demanding more monies to maintain them while still reaping the profits from it.
It is not entrepreneurship any longer, when the only reason a corporation does something is because they will receive monies in subsidy greater than investment. No company pays for R&D anymore, not even when given grants for the process. This is a DRASTIC change from the America of just 30 years ago. Maybe you are the one who needs to open your eyes and see the change to corporate power, and how it is now controlling all aspects of American Life.
Anytime a company failing affects the entire state of the world, is a time when corporations have too much influence and need to be reigned in. This means turning off the spigot of cash, and curtailing the amount of influence.
But it seems to be too late now.

Dallas says:

#26 Your point is good but missing the reality that we are talking about an energy grid. First, it requires federal land and second it requires government resources.

Think a moment about the highway system. Do you think Joe the Entrepreneur can say “gee, I have an idea. I want to build a nationwide highway! I’ll mortgage my house and get started”.

Kidding aside. An US energy grid is not your ordinary business venture.

RSweeney says:

crony “capitalism”

A symptom that the government has taken too much power.

Floyd says:

#26: R&D is disappearing because:

1. The smartest people from the Boomer era are retiring.

2. In the 50s and 60s there was money for R&D, mostly from the Defense Department–the Cold War and all that. Now, Defense has reduced R&D, or made such projects classified. These days, corporations will only do R&D with “other peoples money,” letting those investors take the risk of trying to do something new, possibly without their knowledge.

3. Too much of our money supply was squandered or pocketed by banks and investment firms on get rich quick schemes back in 2007-08, so there’s not much capital left to try new technical ideas.

Joe says:

Whoa! Hold on here.

Robert Bryce is an ill mannered, long-winded and short-sighted fool. He slams wind energy and government support for Natural Gas Vehicles started.

Currently, wind power isn’t really cost competitive with coal and other fossil fuels, that is true, but we need to make some small investments now so that the cost can come down later as mass production cranks up. Remember, VCRs cost over $1000 each back in the early 1980s, now they’re under $100.

As for vehicles, it is clear that all-electric cars are the end-game (by 2030?), but the batteries of today just aren’t ready to provide the kind of power for cars that we expect. I have a NGV (Honda Civic GX). It works just fine and I’m paying about $0.75 per gallon after tax incentives – thanks Sam!

Boone Pickens is a billionaire already and he’s in his 80s. He has no need to become richer.

NGVs are not just another alternative. They’re really the only alternative that can be scaled up quickly and relatively inexpensively. They’re much cleaner than a gas or diesel vehicle. Again, the end-game is all-electric but NGV is a good 20-30 year strategy while private industry and government invest in ever better batteries.

Lastly, let’s remember that when we buy gasoline and diesel, a small part of that purchase buys bullets to kill innocent people. One of the best ways to mitigate terrorism is to defund the terrorists, and this really means finding workable alternatives to petroleum.

LibertyLover says:

#36, Forgot to include these interesting stats:

Financial, real estate and insurance industry PACs and employees have directed 58 percent of their contributions in the 2010 election cycle to Democratic candidates and committees, compared to 42 percent for Republicans

The same is true for health care interests. Health care PACs and individuals in the business gave 59 percent of their donations to Democrats this election cycle, and 41 percent to the GOP.

In the 2008 election cycle, health care interests gave 54 percent of their campaign cash to Democrats, and 46 percent to Republicans.

Even “miscellaneous business” groups, such as business associations, have directed 57 percent of their donations to Democrat in this cycle so far, compared to 43 percent for Republicans.

In the 2008 cycle, Democrats enjoyed a 53-47 percent advantage.

In this election cycle, Democrats have received 47 percent of the campaign cash from energy industries, compared to 53 percent for Republicans.

But in the 2008 cycle, Democrats collected just 34 percent of the donations from the energy sector, compared to 66 percent for Republicans.

Looks like the D’s are the friends of Big Business after all!

Rick Cain says:

Obama socialism at work, oh wait a minute…