The push for Green. Part II Wind
Last May, I wrote an article on alternative energy sources. The focus was on solar power generation. This month, with the advent of
The Pickens’s pitch is simple. American dependency on oil is a stranglehold on the growth of the nation. He illustrates how four percent of the world’s population consumes 25 percent of the world’s oil production (media clip on www.pickensplan.com) — a $700-billion dependence. Mr. Pickens addresses the dilemma by proposing a near-term energy bridging solution wherein 22 percent of the nation’s energy consumption can be addressed by generating wind power in the central portion of the
The second part of his energy bridging solutions speaks about replacing the oil used to power transportation vehicles by natural gas. He suggests that the energy saved using wind power replaces the natural gas alternative needed to fire up power plans producing the same amount of energy. He further argues that natural gas is a resource, which is plentiful in
It is interesting to note that Mr. Pickens has spent $50 million to advertise and lobby his plan. Pickens’ motives are not altogether altruistic. His call for the subsidies for wind energy would greatly benefit his wind power project in the Panhandle of Texas; he is purchasing 600 wind turbines to create a massive wind farm that would supply electricity to the equivalent of 1.3 million homes. Having said this, his plan is pragmatic and keeps American dollars in
Stepping back, looking at the wind generation within the country, the US NREL quotes a potential 76,600 MW of renewable wind energy possible within the
The wind farms in the
The technical hurdles of storing wind energy to supply stable electricity to the grid are being solved by use of pump-storage hydroelectricity, compress air, carbon block, flywheel and flow battery technologies making sustainable 24/7 wind-generated power feasible and economical. The solutions are out there which will minimize our dependence on fossil fuels to a large degree. And as the oilman-turned-alternative energy evangelist suggests, these wind-powered solutions will wean ourselves off oil dependence enough to allow the growth of other more efficient alternative energy sources, creating robust power-generation industries locally and diverting the exodus of wealth from a nation.
* * *
The author is currently an advanced technology director engaged in the development and design of IP and technologies for the cellular and mobile market.
- Latest