Forget "ivory tower" scientists - someone who went from rags to riches in the oil industry should know best!

He's a smart guy. Wind farms are on par with nuclear energy in terms of total cost per energy produced. Probably cheaper once you factor in the decommissioning costs of a nuclear plant.

Once you build the wind farm, the operation and maintenance costs are minimal.

http://www.iea.org/Textbase/nptable/2007/tackling_...

With fossil fuels, you have to continually drill, find new places to drill, create additional infrastructure to transport the fuel, etc. etc. At this point we've gotten most of the easy to obtain oil, demand is skyrocketing, and prices will continue to rise. With renewables, as long as the wind blows and sun shines, you're assured of a stable energy source.

evans & olm0stch - Not everyone is motivated ONLY by greed and money. Pickens is 80 years old, and already has more money that he could EVER spend or enjoy. Believe it or not, some people are actually decent human beings that are willing to do things that will benefit other people. Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, 2 of the richest people in the world, are giving away almost all their wealth to help others. Pickens, with his contacts and experience, could easily earn more money promoting new oil drilling, but instead he's doing what he considers good for the country. Whether or not you agree with the route he's taking, questioning his motives (with absolutely NO basis or evidence) is unconscionable.

"AGW skeptics and oil enthusiasts - response?"

This seems odd. Not what Pickens is doing, but why you want a response from skeptics and "oil enthusiasts".

That is great that Pickens advocates more wind power. What is your point?

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Edit:

Ken said:

"Pickens is 80 years old, and already has more money that he could EVER spend or enjoy. "

This is naive, ken.

To Adam C,

I believe that Pickens is doing the smart thing--not only environmentally, but financially as well. Does this make me less skeptical of AGW? No.

That's great and I agree for the most part...but hows that going to move the country? We're still a long way off from being free of oil dependency. It's a raindrop in the ocean, but a start never the less.

The problem has to do with the priorities of our energy policy. Our energy policy's highest priority is not energy independence, or the long-term security of our nation, or what's cheapest in the long run. The highest priority of our energy policy is short-term profits for the oil companies. This is why the minutes and rosters of **** Cheney's energy 'task force' were kept so secret.

And it's working, at least if you look at it from their point of view. There is currently no shortage of oil, not even a phony shortage like we had in the 70s. Costs of production have not climbed significantly. But oil profits are soaring! The people who made the policy have achieved their goals.

We will have wind turbines, solar power, hydrogen, fission, etc. etc. as soon as Bush and Cheney can figure out a way for the oil companies to make big profits from them.

So...he's worth 2.7 billion, and he's building a wind farm that'll cost "him" 12 billion.....I'd say someone's quadrupling his net worth for his efforts! If he can generate a 1% return on assets, he'll be generating over $100 million a year on a 12 billion dollar investment (most of which was either lent or given to him)...not too shabby. Good thing "green" is the "in" thing at the moment...

Edit (Ken below): LOL!! Only you would believe capitalism is something to be ashamed of! I'd question Buffet and Gates' motives before Pickens'....self-made men make success a habit, they don't suddenly decide to become altruistic and give it all away for no reason. Better check your facts before attacking others....Pickens is buying up water rights as well (and it ain't to give it all away, either):

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/g...

http://seekingalpha.com/article/24410-t-boone-pick...

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_25...

...The name T Boone Pickens gets batted around quite often in my circle.

You see build wind turbines and you jump at and say Ah why haven't we thought of this before. Well we we have. Wind turbines are and eye sore and tree huggers will worry about the bird flying into the windmills. Yet a again there are many ways to go and we keep choosing oil because it is the one with the least negative impact on peoples lives

I suspect Mr Pickens will rake in billions in government subsidies

T Boone Pickens is a shrewd businessman and you should take his public statements with a grain of salt. Think of him as a politician.