What Are Your Thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by david@PickensPlan on February 24, 2009 at 8:30am

This may sound incredibly biased, but I honestly felt Boone shined. He just had a solid presentation and was well prepared. If you think about it, he's had since last July to get his ducks in a row when it comes to sharing his ideas and his plan.

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Permalink Reply by ed janus on February 24, 2009 at 8:45am

Howdy- Jack in Dist. Leaders has a good idea about RLs and DLs starting a dialogue to take the next step. Let's strategize how to proceed.We're at the gate and the green flag is up! .....endurance will win .

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Permalink Reply by Kathy on February 24, 2009 at 10:10am

Let us hope that the positive energy at the summit is also renewable. Boone and the Pickens Plan Army have caused many to open their eyes and ears to our message. The expertise and experience around the summit table provided an outlook on just about every aspect/problem that can be foreseen right now. Hopefully, the federal government will answer the call to not let worry about being wrong dictate our actions and cause stagnation.

I am all for throwing the producers of transmission lines into a room and "limited food, no internet, no phones" until they come up with one standard to which they will all adhere. the railroad expansion model was a good example of a why a multiple standards/specifications would not work. BUT, the government cannot take 10 years to figure out these specification. Make the best decision with the information we have now and go with it!

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Permalink Reply by Chuck Moore on February 24, 2009 at 7:08pm

I am not sure it is the government who figures out the "specifications". The specifications are usually generated by a consortium of interested parties - in this case the power companies, equipment suppliers to the power companies and other telecommunication companies. A formal body such as the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) sponsors the "specification" and solicits interested parties to join the "Committee to Specify Power Grid Specifications". Within this body there are several groups, e.g. Technical, Legislative, Executive and Governance. These people all come from private enterprise companies and each company has an agenda to push forth. These "agendas" usually conflict and it takes years to get a specification nailed down tight and costs real $ to do it. A lot is at stake for these companies so they spend the $.

So the problem becomes how to convince the companies that it is in their best interest to hammer out a specification quickly - the fastest possible process would take two or more years. Believe me this is true! An alternative is for the "suppliers" of equipment to the power companies to be proactive and quickly generate a specification and make it " open source". This would give the company an advantage because they already know the details and can generate product quickly while everyone else trails behind.

Given the correct incentives from the US Government these suppliers can be made to co-operate via project sharing and Project Management techniques where each company only gets a piece of the pie if they cooperate. It is a process that takes years too.

This leaves us with the low hanging fruit, e.g. CNG for powering vehicles and power plants. The event horizon for power plants and trucks would be 20 years or less and massive amounts of expenditure. Do we really have the will to do this?

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Permalink Reply by Codi Prachar on February 24, 2009 at 10:39am

I had the amazing experience of viewing the summit from the room where it was taking place! I think all participants were positive, enthusiastic, and really seemed to agree that we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. I'm feeling very optimistic after yesterday's summit!

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Permalink Reply by Kathy on February 24, 2009 at 10:56am

How exciting for you! My limited view available on line was energizing. Those who spoke did so with expertise and no double speak!

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Permalink Reply by Chuck Moore on February 24, 2009 at 12:20pm

I watched the entire 2:30 minute session and enjoyed it immensely. I did not really take notes and record names so I cannot comment on individual presentation. However, I left wondering what the action items were. Did anyone leave with a specific action item? I was highly interested in the "de-coupling discussion" and wonder what actions will be taken. Secondly, how does the legislative action take place on a national and state level. In Indiana the REMC's pay wholesale prices for energy entering the grid from a consumer facility; whereas, the consumer pays retail prices for the energy used. I cannot see how anyone would install a 20Kw plant in his back yard if he is only going to get a wholesale price - the payback would be longer than the system would live. How will the legislation get passed at the local and state levels to rectify this situation? Indian is very rural and conservative so it may take a very long time unless the federal government forces the situation. It seems to me that the federal government must take the leadership role in pushing the states to move quickly. How will this be accomplished is beyond the scope of my knowledge.

BTW- I just read a technical article about IBM developing thin film solar panels that will sell for $1/Watt. This would propel mass installations of 20KW plants for about $25 - 30K. That is sufficient energy to power my all electric home in the winter on a sunny day here in Indiana (this is a simplistic statement because there are many factors governing actual power generated). Virtually all the power could go to the grid in the summer. I have a feeling that technology and prices will beat the legislation.

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Permalink Reply by david@PickensPlan on February 24, 2009 at 3:22pm

To anyone who missed the Summit on Monday, you can catch it in its entirety now: http://www.pickensplan.com/summit/

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Permalink Reply by Shari Greer on March 8, 2009 at 11:04am

Brilliant! Simply Brilliant!

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Permalink Reply by V. H. Hammontree, D. Min. on May 13, 2009 at 5:00am

This is a political matter. It is in the hands of the bureaucrats. This means that weekly they need to hear from us. I have plenty of minutes on my cell plan so I call my entire congressional delegation and remind them of Pickens Plan. They are not very receptive but they can get the message. Power in numbers and power to the people.

For the children...

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