T. Boone Pickens needs to find homes for 687 giant wind turbines after calling off plans for his huge wind farm project in Texas.

Pickens Calls Off Massive Wind Farm in Texas

from the AP

By JOHN PORRETTO, AP Energy Writer John Porretto, Ap Energy Writer – Tue Jul 7, 5:29 pm ET

HOUSTON – Plans for the world’s largest wind farm in the Texas Panhandle have been scrapped, energy baron T. Boone Pickens said Tuesday, and he’s looking for a home for 687 giant wind turbines.

Pickens has already ordered the turbines, which can stand 400 feet tall — taller than most 30-story buildings.

“When I start receiving those turbines, I’ve got to … like I said, my garage won’t hold them,” the legendary Texas oilman said. “They’ve got to go someplace.”

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In Texas, the problem lies in getting power from the proposed site in the Panhandle to a distribution system, Pickens said in an interview with The Associated Press in New York. He’d hoped to build his own transmission lines but he said there were technical problems.

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Renewable energy provides a small fraction of electricity used today, but the wind and solar sectors are the fastest growing in the U.S. In 2008, the U.S. became the world’s leading provider of wind power.

Like most industries around the world, the recession has hurt wind turbine manufacturers and wind farm developers. Companies have shelved development plans and laid off workers.

Check out the video HERE.

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I’m from Texas, so when T. Boone Pickens begins talking about our need to find alternative energy, I listen. T. Boone Pickens is a name synonomous with oil. He was one of the first independent oilmen to build his oil empire on aquisitions rather than complete dependence on exploration.

According to Wikipedia….

Pickens has begun speaking out on the issue of peak oil, claiming that world oil production is about to enter a period of irrevocable decline. He has called for the construction of more nuclear power plants, the use of natural gas to power the country’s transportation systems, and the promotion of alternative energy. Pickens’ involvement with the natural gas fueling campaign is long-running. He formed Pickens Fuel Corp. in 1997 and began touting natural gas as the best vehicular fuel alternative because it’s a domestic resource that, among many advantages, is clean (Natural Gas Vehicles or NGVs emit up to 30% less pollution than gasoline or diesel vehicles) and reduces foreign oil consumption. Reincorporated as Clean Energy in 2001, the company now owns and operates natural gas fueling stations from British Columbia to the Mexican border.

Now, this push toward alternative energy and reduced dependence on foreign oil may boost his bottom line,  but I think that his powerful message will be heard around the world.
Commercials, banners, and more information can be found at PickensPlan.

There are also several videos located at YouTube as well.

Last night after dinner, our favorite restaurant owner and I were talking about the price of fuel and its effects on his industry. He mentioned that he did not understand why gasoline was so much cheaper in Mexico, stating that it was only $2.50 per gallon. I thought maybe he was just  misinformed, because I thought the fuel economy was a global thing….well except for oil rich nations that shall remain unnamed. After searching a bit, I see current fuel prices somewhere around $3.50 a gallon. (I am quoting USD here, so we can get past the math.) Several sources mentioned that fuel was about a dollar less a gallon in Mexico than here in the United States. After reading around, I discover that their fuel is government subsidized/controlled. Hmmmmm.

In my search, I also found an interesting blog written by a trucker in Mexico, who has written an article, Go South for Cheap Gas?

U.S.News & World Report
How to Guard Against Rising Gas Prices
Wednesday July 2, 3:17 pm ET
By Kimberly Palmer

Rising gas prices are inspiring drivers to find new ways of protecting themselves against future increases–including buying gas in advance and investing in stocks that tend to rise along with the price of gasoline.

One new company, MyGallons.com, lets customers buy gallons ahead of time based on the current prices in their area–in theory, locking in a lower price–and then redeem those gallons at a later date, regardless of any price increases in the interim.

More…..

In an earlier post, I wrote a bit about a movement toward 4 day work week to cut energy costs, but mostly to offset the expense of working a 40 hour week over a five day week. 

So maybe others will follow suit with Utah….

Utah is Going to a 4-Day Work Week to Save Energy

SALT LAKE CITY - Starting next month, it will be “TGIT” for Utah state employees. As in: “Thank God It’s Thursday.”

In a yearlong experiment aimed at reducing the state’s energy costs and commuters’ gasoline expenses, Utah is about to become the first state to switch to a four-day workweek for thousands of government employees.

They will put in 10-hour days, Monday through Thursday, and have Fridays off, freeing them to golf, shop, spend time with the kids or do anything else that strikes their fancy. They will get paid the same as before.

“One of the jokes is that one of the biggest benefits will be for golf courses,” said Ryan Walker, 49, an information technology director. He said he is looking forward to tackling items on his long-neglected “honey-do” list (As in: “Honey, do this” and “Honey, do that”); camping; and traveling more around the state.

The order issued by Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman will affect about 17,000 out of 24,000 executive-branch employees. It will not cover state police officers, prison guards or employees of the courts or Utah’s public universities. Also, state-run liquor stores will stay open on Fridays.

Remainder of story here.