| Soon, the energy debate will come back into the | | | | future, why isn't more private capital being |
| headlines. Also, the bill which contains the oil drilling | | | | invested in these new wind farms? Unless the |
| moratorium on federal lands is due to expire this | | | | United States government commits to subsidizing |
| month. | | | | wind energy for the next 20 years, there is no |
| Those who are opposed to drilling will once again | | | | money to make. |
| point to alternatives such as wind, solar and | | | | The primary subsidy for wind is a credit that is |
| biofuels. Pursuing all alternatives should be our | | | | given for each kilowatt hour of energy that is |
| policy. Since 2001, the United States government | | | | produced. As the Atlanta Journal-Constitution |
| has spent over $18 billion in this research. | | | | reported in a recent article; "In 1999, 2001 and |
| With all of this "investment", the most economical | | | | 2003, when Congress temporarily killed the |
| and diverse form of energy is still oil. Oil's diversity | | | | credits, the number of new turbines dropped |
| is not only in the energy that is produced, but the | | | | dramatically." |
| products that are manufactured and supplied to | | | | Since we haven't figured out how to store the |
| our economy. | | | | electricity that is produced from any power plant, |
| According to the U.S. Energy Information | | | | every wind farm must be backed up by a |
| Administration, the most common products from | | | | conventional power plant. Wind turbines only |
| petroleum are energy products: gasoline, heating | | | | produce energy when the wind is blowing. And as |
| oil, and diesel fuel. Other petroleum products are: | | | | we are beginning to find out, these turbine farms |
| ink, crayons, bubble gum, dishwashing liquids, | | | | are loud and kill lots of birds. Give it about 3 more |
| deodorant, eyeglasses, records, tires, ammonia, | | | | years and the environmentalist will be trying to |
| and heart valves. | | | | shut down this industry the same way it has tried |
| Additional refined products include, petrochemical | | | | to shut down nuclear power. |
| feedstock - products derived from petroleum | | | | So what happens if we do the Pickens plan? Well, |
| principally for the manufacturing of chemicals, | | | | to get the natural gas to accommodate the |
| synthetic rubber and plastics. | | | | future transportation needs of this country, we |
| The most talked about alternative right now is | | | | need to drill. How ironic! We also need to create |
| wind. T. Boone Pickens has been advertising this | | | | the infrastructure and market to fuel vehicles with |
| alternative for about 3 months now. On the | | | | natural gas; more subsidies. |
| surface, wind turbines sound great as another | | | | If an energy technology is not economically |
| form of energy. They look very sleek and are | | | | competitive, no amount of public subsidies will |
| always presented as a green alternative to oil. | | | | make it so. We should be advocating our |
| Mr. Pickens plan is to have wind farms replace | | | | congressional leaders to remove all energy |
| natural gas power plants so that natural gas can | | | | subsidies from the federal budget and tax code. |
| be used in place of gasoline for transportation | | | | This will allow each and every energy source and |
| needs. Can this really work in the market place | | | | technology to compete with one another on a |
| and take care of our energy needs? No. | | | | level playing field. It will also save you and me |
| T. Boone Pickens is a smart man. He recognizes | | | | billions of dollars. |
| the need for our country to become energy | | | | Unfortunately, the future energy needs of our |
| independent and the current anti-oil, anti-nuclear, | | | | country are not ironic. We will need 135 gigawatts |
| anti-coal energy environment our congress and | | | | of new capacity in the next ten years. Right now, |
| environmentalist have been in. | | | | plants producing a total of 57 gigawatts are |
| But wind is not adequately sufficient to replace | | | | planned. Environmental groups like the National |
| natural gas or any fossil fuel plant. Wind provides | | | | Resources Defense Council have succeeded in |
| 1% of our current electricity as compared to | | | | stopping 13 natural gas power plants from coming |
| 22% for natural gas. So how much energy can | | | | online in southern California. |
| you get from a wind turbine or for that matter, a | | | | According to Rick P. Sergel, chief executive at the |
| wind farm? | | | | North American Electric Reliability Corporation, |
| As noted in the Investor's Business Daily, "...to | | | | "There isn't any excess in the system." |
| replace natural gas' 22% with wind would require | | | | The bottom line is that we have the resources to |
| building 300,000 1.5-megawatt turbines occupying | | | | take care of our energy needs. We should have a |
| an area the size of South Carolina." | | | | diversity of supply, a level economic playing field |
| If wind is such great a source of energy, and | | | | and common sense environmental regulations. |
| natural gas powered cars are the way of the | | | | |