The Turbine Highway

Comment

Comment by Kevin Espeseth on October 16, 2008 at 12:47am

Free housing = -negative- carbon footprint ; yes it is profitable...*

Free Trade for CLEAN Energy = $1,500 income per home ($.05 / KWH) each month!

Isn't -accurate- free trade a right in a healthy community?

What other free society foundation definitions have been marginalized in the past 50 years?

Basically, if a person can get a (reasonably) guaranteed price of $.05 / KWH for energy that they generate, (20 HP @ $.05 = $1,500/mth per home, & $7,000,000/mth per 5,000 homes, for watching the windmills go round) then people can profit in finding ways to make the machinery to do so.

Once that is done, 20 HP energy generation (that results in $1,500 / month in return) will allow banks to be comfortable in lending the money for the solar-home / car-convertors (whatever) that do this. With a car payment of $300, and a mortgage payment of $800 (possibly distributed automatically), that still leaves $300 for taxes, and insurance, and food. All this without being any burden on the State.The figures are ballpark, but I would expect the banks to adjust the levels to provide a better level of food / personal income for the kind of return this represents.

* One example:

The LP gas utility increases production of thawing methane resources to capture the gas before it can escape to the atmosphere. It sells the gas to the home owner who can turn the gas into heat and electricity for the home, (plus 2 HP constant extra), using a auto engine equipped with an extra catalytic converter that turns the carbon dioxide into calcium carbonate (this is effective for this range of engine conversion size to 40(?) HP constant). for a check from the utility company of $150 each month (about the cost of the LP gas bill, plus that much more for the pocket). -No changes required to utility infrastructure, and the utility doesn't have to build, man, or maintain the energy generation source; they become a _more profitable_ broker.-

If larger generation capacity is wanted, (20 HP for $1,500 return), a larger monthly connection fee is billed the location, for the upgrade in the wire, equipment, and transformer size, and the LP gas bill would be about $750, with a balance of $700 for profit each month. Any windmills or solar would result in reducing the LP gas bill, making small farms more secure in growing food/energy crops instead of some of the crap they now -have to- sell.

More than that; correct type of homes built / upgraded get more jobs, in the local area. Energy costs for manufacturing and transportation go down -and remain low-. Labor benefits improve for workers, because they don't need a job , absolutely, right away, and small business will have more money to move around.

Free home, security, transportation, food, and insurance,... and all a person has to do is sign a paper (and maybe get a vasectomy in the dangerously over populated parts of the world).

Page 2:

Some math;

20 HP of CLEAN energy conversion machinery per household, (@ $.05 / KWH) = $1,500 per home of extra income, - each month - .

Multiply that by a community of 5,000, and that = $7,000,000 of restructured money flow - per month - for that community alone!

Not to mention how much carbon it removes from the planet.

Do us all a favor and promote the following....

Why CAN'T I sell CLEAN ENERGY to my neighbor (for $.05 / KWH)?

Simple concept isn't it? We all want cheaper (elect.) energy. We all would prefer to buy clean energy if it were available. And, most of us would prefer to buy from a local supplier (especially if the main grid goes down). Why is this concept so "radical" that no politician wants to touch it with a ten foot pole? Just what is really going on here? Isn't the local utility just an ISP, that both you (the content supplier), and
your neighbor (the content customer), pay to, for the right of connection?

If you can show (on an annual inspection) that the energy you generate (on a small farm say) is clean, (or
actually -removes- carbon from the atmosphere), with today's technology for phase regulation, and line
safety, then the only price regulation concerning the local utility should be the size of the transformer and wire coming into your source required to feed your electricity to the grid, and your connection fee be adjusted accordingly. Who cares how it is generated; ethanol fuel cell auto, LP fuel cell home kit, solar, wind,... pig spit (!), as long as it meets the standard for the carbon load to the utility. How many
new business would this technology generate?

I should (as a consumer) be able to go to a web site and purchase -clean- energy futures for any rate that anyone (within a local area) wants to sell it to me for.

The arguments being presented by the utilities are a "tobacco up" mentality that has -never- shown a benefit to any of those involved. The currently existing equipment is similar to the phone system was being operated before the Internet; -mostly unused-. If a transformer is rated to drain 2 HP (constant) into a residence, then it can just as easily handle 2 HP being pumped into the grid without any effect to any
equipment. Additionally, the 60 Hz phase would be strengthened, not corrupted because of the current
technology used to regulate this kind and range of power. There is -much- less power line loss with this type of local consumption. The power companies don't have to build or maintain any new generation locations or expensive high power lines, they only need maintain the local "NET".

Even though an argument can be made for the "ISP" perspective, this needs to be actually presented in a court case for the rights of free trade in this issue. We need to find lawyers willing to present this in court as a "pro-bono" case for the right of free trade in this area, siting the betrayal of public trust from the current utility operational practices!

Not only will the advertisement move clean free trade in energy in this country, it will be adopted by the rest of the planet (proved profitable). "Germany does it." At that point a lot of things change, potentially irreversibly ... as some potential examples:

Foreign Policy;

STOP SENDING MONEY!

If we (in the US) send machinery, of the type indicated in this post, -only- (instead of money that gets funneled into corrupt pockets), how much would the spending of that national money within the country, improve the countries' business climate?. We would, in effect, be making a profit by improving the world community, to a point that terrorism results in the opposite effect intended.

With this kind if free trade in clean energy, we would be able to reliably establish a "energy homestead act"; A low interest loan (as potentially a social security buyout) to establish self supportive residences that will generate more (clean) energy than they require, enough so that the loan is automatically paid back for said energy sale, with possibly enough left over to provide for food and medical. This would be a $50,000 home (to start), paid in 15(?) years, not the "requiring a credit rating, for bank that charges you $300,000, -over thirty years-, for a place to live, that kills the planet"). What if we (in the US in particular) did that, with energy equipment (in a loan program with the excuse of "terra formation") "to "fix the planet"? What kind of response would that get for us, to prove we can improve our living conditions -so substantially-, by helping so many others on the planet, that no terrorist involvement can never find -effective- support, again?

A bit over the top I guess, but if you follow somewhat the direction I suggest here, at least you won't have to deal with the heat during the next grid brown out. ...without sending people to go die in "coal holes"...or on " US military private security escort" for the oil company trucks in Iraq...

more: Just "google" "be1st2"

Comment by Kati Payne on October 14, 2008 at 9:12am

I live on the highway, let me know when I can put up my wind mill!!

Comment by Mike Anthony Fernald Sr. on October 6, 2008 at 1:55am

Did you know we have 13 Trillion Dollars sitting in offshore accounts just waiting for the right smart people to access. All we need to do is implement the Fair Tax and bring those Funds back into the American Economy.

Please go to www.fairtax.org and see what you can do about this.

Please Keep me in the Loop!
Im with you 100% anything I can do in my power just call on me.

Mike Anthony

Comment by Micah Lauer on September 29, 2008 at 3:23pm

T. Boone has released a new ad. Take a look and spread the word!

New Pickens Plan ad

Comment by Richard Wickberg on September 27, 2008 at 1:14pm

As a Washingtonian, we live in a power transmission state, ie, Columbia River dams We have begin Wind generation on a small scale but the scale must be enlarges, especially here on the eastern side where we have the most wind. We also have the land and sun available to support solar and geothermal power generation but alas, nothing is being done to exploit these available resources. Why, regulations set up by the state regulatory board who is in the pocket of the energy companies who prefer the status quo. Utilizing these resourses would lower their profits to shareholders and we the people have our hands tied.

I have written the governor and have yet to recieve an answer on this important matter, the same goes for her opponent. What's a voter to do?

Comment by Richard Wickberg on September 19, 2008 at 8:02pm

Brent,
You present a very factual and informatable thesiswhich should be read by all voting members and congressmembers. I for one am preparing to convert my 196 Nissan truck to run on CNG and have our house gas line refitted to a pumping station as I use it only locally. The public and many groups as a whole are apathetic - the groups are taking advantage of the Indian summer annd at play. There is just no activity or discourse!

I agree with 100% of what you say and am upset at our present do-nothing congress and administration who know nothing more than borrow and spend and 'when frightened, stick their heads in the sand'. I'm at a crossroads at whom to support for president, I'll not vote for our current representative, WA. St. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers as she is a Bush parrot and votes anti veteran, of which I'm 100% disabled.

Our country needs a modern energy infrastructure and NOW. We have the minds, the labor and the need. Now all we need are leaders who have the cajones to enact such a plan and secure funding -which we as customers will have to pay for. But as I see it as the system begins to work, costs will go down as will costs to the consumers.

Thanks for your discourse!

Comment by Chris Caldwell on September 19, 2008 at 8:02pm

My Blog. Technology is available now! Get it together!
National Environmental Report
Learn about Oil Free Air Bearings
See How A MicroTurbine Works

Comment by Brent Teague, mba on September 19, 2008 at 6:11pm

... the Crisis of Controversy ...

One friend wrote, "Brent - T. Boones plan does not have any “distributed energy” associated with it so is therefore limited in it’s effectiveness, and timeliness as well as security. These new transmission lines have to be DC ( less loss in transmission) but still vunerable to breakdowns and such. We need more local sources."

The question to me now is, "How does Pickens address this situation?" First, Pickens clearly states on his videos that transmission will originate in the midwestern windfarm regions of the U.S. From there he states that energy can be transmitted toward both the east coast and the west coast. The argument (and i hate arguing about anything) seems to be that Pickens doesn't know or understand how wind energy must be transported, because the transmission must be direct current (DC) rather than the alternating current (AC assuming) with natural gas. It is not Pickens who must come up with the answer to your question of DC and local sources. It would be the Pickens engineers.

Here is an example. If any of the readers saw the movie about Howard Hughes (the "All American" Icon and Entreprenuer) you understand that it was Mr. Hughes who thought of airplane rivets being flush with the sheet metal. It was then the task of Mr. Hughes' engineers and machine shop mechanics to determine the "hows" of producing a smooth winged aircraft.

Mr. Pickens has been generous enough in my humble opinion to give Americans a strong solution to foriegn oil dependence. In light of how much complaining there is about high fuel prices at the service pumps, I am shocked, personally at how few people want to get on board with his plan. The finer details will be worked out as the plan progresses. We seem to have become a spoiled society finding 100 reasons not to do anything, when we only really require one good reason to support a good cause (like 911 for instance). We won't be spoiled much longer if things continue going the way they are going, we will rather be ensnared by this foriegn oil debacle and our nation's one time riches will be a thing of the past for all, including me and I really don't warm up to that idea very well. So, where is a better idea than Americans transferring all of their wealth overseas through oil purchases? I think Pickens' plan warrants a good sturdy listening to ...

Others have written in about condensed natural gas (CNG) in Utah and the great progress of Questar energy company and the low price per gallon (ppg .88 cents). People of Utah sit on their haunches and point fingers at Mr. Pickens as though they are somehow God's chosen and Mr. Pickens doesn't have a clue. How is that, for persecution? May the good people of Utah think back about 150 years to their own plight and how they were treated so unkindly by others in Missouri and other places. What right has any "true American" to criticize another?

Yet, while the former Secretary of Energy (one of the highest positions in U.S. Federal Government) Governor Richardson of New Mexico, advocated Mr. Pickens' strategy, the governor of Utah declined "at this time." I guess the Governor of Utah is somehow smarter than a billionaire and the former Secretary of Energy. Way to go on the engenderment of divisiveness in America.

For some reason Americans just aren't "getting it." Mr. Pickens' plan is as American as baseball, hotdogs and grannies apple pie. Perhaps even more so because he likens the crisis to the predicament of war! Hello? Is anyone out there small enough to realize that T. Boone Pickens is a multi-billionaire and you are not? Neither am I, so lets get off our high horses of judging Mr. Pickens as though we are so much more brillian and get into the trenches and support each other in this crisis -- how do we do that? Listen to Pickens plan, it is so simple a 5th grader can understand it.

If readers haven't viewed the Pickens'Plan yet, it can be found by clicking on this link: www.pickensplan.com/index.php Pickens shares the most readily available and quickest method to replace natural gas use for electric power with wind. People who want to waste time over whether the EPA should change laws to make retrofitting vehicles less costly to the consumer (which can be years, even decades in the legislative processes) should seriously reconsider the facts.

It can be summed up in one paragraph: There is the problem, well defined: dependence on foriegn oil. Then Pickens Plan outlines the solution: independence from the foriegn stranglehold. Finally, Pickens lays out "the how" in a very clear and concise way: the plan for shifting electric energy resources from natural gas to wind energy, freeing up the use of natural gas to be utilized in all new government vehicles and trucking company vehicles.

For those who would continually bash Mr. Pickens and his miraculous plan for American Independence (similar to independence from the British only without guns) with their own plan of continuing to muddle in the problem, claiming there is a better way "right now" are blind to the greatness of Pickens' strategy - it is a timely strategy and the time to act on supporting his plan is now. You can stay on your high horse if you want, but in the long run you're hurting all of us including yourself. There is no other overall "big picture" strategy that will effectively accomplish within 5 to 10 years what Mr. T. Boone Pickens has outlined for the benefit of everyone. Any strategy that will work better Pickens has stated he will hear. Yet, if you dig in your heals and say "no," just because Mr. Pickens is successful and you are not then you are willingly blind to the overall concept of what he has brought to the table for us all. Dig in your heals, be proud and we all fail including me and including you - thanks a lot! You're a real American - NOT!

But wait, there's more! There is the politics and the numbers! Mr. Pickens has emphatically stated that within the first one-hundred days of our new American President being in office a solid plan must be rolled out by the President of the United States for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). Because the emails received at the Internet Green Guide appear to reveal flaws in Pickens' Plan they will be shared in this article, but right along with reasons that Pickens should continue to advance his plan.

Mr. Pickens shares the recent phenomena (crisis created) which goes like this:
OIL IMPORTED INTO USA IN 1970 = 24% OF TOTAL USE
OIL IMPORTED INTO USA IN 1990 = 42% OF TOTAL USE
OIL IMPORTED INTO USA 2008 = Nearly 70%

COST = $700,000,000,000.00 This is a lot of zeros. It translates to 700 billion dollars. You and I make up that
figure everytime we go to the pump - well actually I don't because I no longer own a car - I bicycle everywhere.

United States VERSUS China (personally owned vehicles)
USA 750 people out of every 1,000 own a vehicle.
CHINA 44 people out of every 1,000 own a vehicle.

This represents a disparity of 71%. This trend in ownership is already changing at a rapid pace. The gap in disparity is closing and China's continual demand for foriegn oil, the same sources as the United States is continually increasing.

The United States consumer uses 21 million barrels of the total 85 million produced each and every day. This is 25% of the world's consumption of crude oil while only 4% of the earth's population resides within the borders of the United States. This is the immediate problem that Mr. T. Boone Pickens is so intentionally addressing. For some reason many of the people with whom I engage on energy use and fuel seem to completely overlook this specific problem when it comes to the correct solution.

There are at least seven major sources of electric energy supply to recognize when considering the "immediate" solution to the problem, coal, natural gas, hydro, bio-fuel, wind, solar, and nuclear. Pickens pick is natural gas because it is cleaner, cheaper and extremely abundant within the geographic boundaries of the United States.

His strategy focuses on a shift in the use of United States energy that is dedicated specifically to power generation for homes, businesses and other structural elements of our infrastructure. Currently our infrastructural electric energy sources are distributed using these quantities of our given resources:

50% coal power
22% natural gas power
20% nuclear power
8% other

Pickens' shift proposes shifting the use of natural gas to vehicle use. How? The way he proposes to accomplish this task is through wind energy. Wind power can be harvested from the main U.S. wind corridor which runs longitudinally through the midwestern region of the United States. This energy can be transmitted through the power grid to the eastern & western coastal regions of the United States giving power to millions of people to the tune of 22% being wind energy dependent. This new energy source gives immediate access to the natural gas resource to be
used for vehicle fuel. Pickens' plan calls for project completion within 10 years, but it could be done much faster with federal backing and major entreprenuerial influx of labor, materials, engineers and transportation.

The new numbers once natural gas power is replaced by wind energy look like this:

50% coal power
22% wind power
20% nuclear power
8% other

This shift in electric energy resource from natural gas to wind will give Americans a substantial increase of natural gas for use in vehicles. Now, without reducing the current number of vehicles on the road, Americans would be capable of achieving a 38% reduction in imported oil from foriegn entities.

There are a ton of unseen variables which could and probably should be addressed at this point, but for the sake of brevity will be overlooked - just know the author understands there is much more going on here than meets the eye. Regardless, Pickens' plan is admirable to say the least and at most a beacon of light that is opening the eyes of many Americans who were, (like me) until Pickens came on the scene, in fact, asleep.

This plan can have tremendous impact on the U.S. for good. It can also give the domestic American markets much relief from competing for barrels of oil being shipped from producers to various harbors across the globe for offloading, refining and vehicle consumption. Pickens clearly states the dollar figure back into the pocket of Americans to be $300 billion measured by the value of today's dollar.

What really gets under my skin are these shallow-minded simpletons who believe that T. Boone Pickens has come up with this strategy to line his pockets personally. One thing, so what - we live in a capitalist's nation - if you don't like it, leave. Another thing is the man is 80 years old - give me a break!

People actually believe that Pickens intends to make himself the world's wealthiest man? Pickens states about his plan that is it not the final step to where we are going - it is a "bridge" to get us to the place that technology will take us and the type of energy and fuel we will be using in the future, which he believes will not come from fossil fuels. Pickens has shared that he probably won't be around in the day when we are completely off fossil fuels.

Please don't loose the bigger picture by focusing on the fact that you have 3 retrofitted vehicles and the first one was converted in 1989. To let those facts slow you down or stop you from encouraging the progress of Pickens' plan is to miss the entire point that we are truly in an energy crisis and must start somewhere.

The federal government doesn't have anything on the table to create cheaper retrofits such as the $600-$800 prices we hear about in other countries. If it isn't happening "now" then it might happen later - what is happening right "now," this moment in time is Pickens Plan. We can retrofit later, not a problem, we'll get to it if we still need it at the time.

We can't wait around for the Federal Government to change the EPA standards - it is the Federal Government that turned their collective heads long enough to allow this horrible deficit to occur without any plan being developed at all. This is another good reason to hold your elected officials accountable for their decisions. What is "their" plan? I'm not an insurgent, rather a law abiding, tax paying citizen, but a citizen nonetheless and if we are to govern as people, "by the people and for the people" then it is up to us - the people to help get a good solid plan like this off the ground. We have the leader, he's given everyone his concept now it is up to us to recognize the quandary America is in and help each other work to get out of it. This is the true blessing of Pickens standing up to share his plan.

Another part of the bigger picture Pickens brought up is the fact that GM is currently producing 19 different models of natural gas vehicles being sold in other countries. GM is ready to roll cars into the domestic market, but the national infrastructure doesn't exist to support the type of production required for GM to maintain a strong profit margin in this U.S. market. They are, however, ready and that is the point. There are pieces in place everywhere prepared to support the Pickens' plan, but we will only be able to get the ball rolling if all of us move in a positive and permanent
direction. The only clear hope on the American horizon to reverse the trend of foriegn oil dependence is the Pickens' plan. Pick it apart if you wish, but that attitude is a poor one and a basic injustice to yourself and to those of us trying to help our neighbor right here in our own land.

To better help you understand, you may want to watch the video about Sweetwater, Texas here: http://push.pickensplan.com/

Finally, if you are uncertain about all of this just remember one simple thing. Every time you or I go to a gas pump America keeps only .30 cents of every single dollar we spend right now at the pump. We get .30 cents on the dollar. It is really a wonder our dollar still has the value it does in the international markets, but think about that one real serious for a minute. If we continue to keep only .30 cents and that figure drops even more then the value of our dollar will crumple up and go in the gutter.

So, ask yourself, "Is it worth it?" Is T. Boone Pickens simple plan of attack worth the simple cost of giving it the "go ahead" by you? When embraced Pickens' plan will launch a global energy revolution never known to humanity. The very best aspect of it all at this point, to me, is that this energy revolution will be a "GREEN REVOLUTION."
This can be likened to the "stone age" or to the "industrial revolution" of bygone eras.

Not only will energy be cleaner, but there will be more green products, transportation, food, housing and infrastructure. Mr. Pickens is really handing Americans the driver's seat to this new revolution. If we don't take it, America, someone else will and this wave has barely even begun to swell. The crest of this GREEN WAVE is at least a decade or more away. Do you want to ride the wave or sit on the beach with your arms folded? Think about it.

Editor - The Internet Green Guide

This article is published on www.internetgreenguide.com

Comment by Richard Wickberg on September 14, 2008 at 1:22pm

Bruce,
I'll soon have the unfortunate duty to visit Fargo in your beautiful state to see my aunt a last time before she succumbs to cancer. I'm hoping the AFB at Minot is still in operation so I can fly in and out from there.

Anyways I've always loved the serene beauty of North Dakota and remember the ever present wind. Heck, even your farmers could add turbines to their fields as they have near Pipestone Minnesota (S.W. MN) and your state could make more money on wind power than Nevada does on gaming!

Your idea on rapid transit tied to the interstates and wind generators is great too. You already have the cleanest rest areas of any interstate highway we've seen in the western USA!

You've got a great state and were it not for my (Californian) wife, (I was born in Minnesota) We'd move there so I could be close to the Norskies and family members I've missed for so many years.
Ja Sure You Betcha!

Comment by Bruce D. Brovold on September 11, 2008 at 11:44pm

They say that North Dakota is the Sadie Arabia of wind power. With the energy emergency in the world, I believe wind power is one of the best ways to create renewable energy.


North Dakota also has a mass transportation inadequacy. Amtrak does not stop at our state capital Bismarck. Greyhound only stops in Fargo when traveling across all of North Dakota. We all know the high price of air fares flying to our smaller cities.

Here is my idea. Build wind towers along I-94 from Fargo to the Montana border, also along I-29 from Fargo to Grand Forks, then along highway 2 across the sate to Minot and also to Williston and Dickinson, one big rectangle. On the sides of these tall super strong poles holding the wind blades, the state could build a high speed monorail system to North Dakotas major cities.

The monorail could be state owned and the power to run the monorail would be run off some of the energy created by the wind generators. This system would be great for North Dakota citizens, business people, tourism and most importantly saving gas. It would pay for itself.

Even if these wind generators only served North Dakota, just think of the energy our state would save. The future is here and we have to come up with new ideas, even if they sound overwhelming. We can no longer give billions of dollars to our enemies every year for our oil, so we can continue to pollute our air and continue to go deeper into debt.

As President John F. Kennedy said, “Americans do things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” If we could go to the moon in 1969, we can start solving our energy problems in 2008.
Bruce D. Brovold
Fargo, ND

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