Alternative energy T. Boone Pickens

in june 2007, pickens announced intention build world s largest wind farm installing large wind turbines in parts of 4 texas panhandle counties. project produce 4 gigawatts of electricity. pickens mesa power lp undertake construction. if completed, farm generate more 5 times 735 megawatts produced @ present largest such farm near abilene, according susan williams sloan, spokesman american wind energy association.

on august 16, 2007, pickens mesa power announced had filed documents state of texas add 4 gigawatts of electricity state grid. filing electric reliability council of texas (ercot) projected project completed in 2011 , include 2,700 turbines on 200,000 acres (810 km) in roberts , adjacent counties in texas panhandle. meeting panhandle landowners , negotiating wind lease , easement agreements, said pickens. excited @ how pieces falling place.

on january 30, 2008, oklahoman reported pickens ready start buying wind turbines project within month, planned buy between 1,700 , 2,000 turbines, , cost $200 million $300 million. pickens added has been approached twenty potential partners on project has not yet made final decision. have not picked banker , have not picked partner, pickens said. kind of nice ... have decided can pretty far down track before having make choices. pickens predicted similar wind farm projects built in texas panhandle , canada–us border in future.

on may 15, 2008, pickens mesa power announced had placed first order 667 1.5-megawatt turbines general electric. turbines delivered in 2010 , 2011.

on july 17, 2008, texas public utilities commission approved ratepayer funding of $4.98 billion in electric transmission lines connect wind farms in texas panhandle electric grid. implements provisions of 2005 texas law designed promote new wind energy projects.

on july 8, 2009, wall street journal reported t. boone pickens has postponed plans build texas wind farm. said project stopped partly because existing transmission line capacity wasn t available. company had planned build new lines, couldn t financing. on same date, new york times, reported pickens committed purchasing 667 wind turbines , develop wind projects them. on mesa power group website, pickens said expected continue development of pampa project, not @ pace expected.

on december 15, 2010, nathanael baker, in article www.theenergycollective.com, wrote pickens has scrapped plans wind farms , instead focus exclusively on natural gas. according article, on december 10, 2010, msnbc reported pickens said low natural gas prices have made utility companies view wind power expensive.

the pickens plan

on july 8, 2008, pickens announced major energy policy proposal, called pickens plan. plan promotes radical reduction in united states dependency upon foreign energy, particularly oil provided nations in opec cartel. although plan calls introduction of various alternatives oil, including wind , solar, major component conversion of nation s commercial transport sector away opec diesel natural gas. pickens plan calls united states utilize wind corridor in middle of country stretching texas northerly through great plains canada–us border. noted in congressional testimony in july 2008 plan generate new jobs , provide economic stimulus area, while noting require new transmission lines traditionally antagonize environmentalists and/or nearby populations.

the announcement of plan coincides pickens need federal subsidies wind renewed, has begun placing orders planned wind farm in texas.

pickens plans spend $58 million on multi-media effort promote pickens plan. pickens multi-media campaign includes traditional media, such newspaper , tv, , new media, such youtube , facebook. television ads pickens plan produced veteran democratic political consultant, joe slade white.

carl pope, executive director of sierra club, has expressed support pickens plan.

on december 27, 2009, during called meet press roundtable , new york city mayor michael bloomberg made pickens plan case talking need energy independence. discussion in context of failed attack on airliner on christmas day.

pickens’ proposal increased use of natural gas in heavy duty trucks , fleet vehicles included in nat gas act (h.r. 1835 , s. 1408) , american power act.

on february 21, 2013, pickens spoke on behalf of clean energy fuels along new york city mayor michael bloomberg in support of new eco-friendly food truck. press conference took place in front of city hall company, neapolitan express, explained how mobile pizzeria emits 75% less greenhouse gases trucks running on gas or diesel. company launched in 2013.