Top 20 Green Energy Stocks; Summer 2008 20 Best Renewable Power Investments
1. First Solar company info, FSLR thin-film solar
2. Suzlon Wind global windpower turbine company
3. Vestas leading wind energy company
4. Ormat Tech USA geothermal power industry leading company
5. SunPower Corp solar panel manufacturing company
6. Q-Cells AG European photovoltaic solar power company
7. Energy Conversion Devices, USA alternative energy technology company
Energy Conversion Devices page at Yahoo Finance
8. LDK Solar (LDK), manufacturer of solar power cells
9. Clipper Windpower wind turbine manufacturer / windfarm developer
10. Solaria Energia of Spain, solar collector company, thermal and electric
11. Raser Technologies geothermal power, electric motors company
12. Solar Millennium AG leading global solar thermal power stock
13. Canadian Hydro Developers, Wind Energy and Renewable Power Producer
14. SolarWorld AG, pv solar energy company based in Germany
15. Capstone Turbine microturbines for wind, solar, geothermal
16. Juhl Wind Inc. USA Community windpower leader
17. Solon AG, photovoltaic solar building material manufacturer
18. US Geothermal American geothermal energy producer
19. Theolia of France, European Wind Energy and Biogas plant company
20. Kaydon Corp, USA manufacturer of wind turbine bearings
More renewable energy and green power links:
Evergreen Solar company website ESLR
Geothermal.info Geothermal Power website
OyNot.com Solar Energy and Batteries
PBD - Info on PowerShares Global Clean Energy Fund
Spire Solar company info at Yahoo Finance; SPIR
5N Plus Inc. official english website
WindIntell.com Green Power Investing
Wind Energy investing, research windpower companies, green stocks
Welcome to WindIntell.com, YOUR wind energy company research portal. Search global wind power, solar energy, geothermal, clean power technology, green energy funds; find major wind stocks.
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Saturday, August 30, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Green Chip Review profiles Global Wind Energy Industry
The respected Green Chip Review (http://www.greenchipstocks.com) is a valuable resource for those investing in alternative energy stocks. They also have a free renewable power investing newsletter that goes out every day and I definitely suggest you check it out. The following article is a concise explanation of the global windpower industry, with particular emphasis on US wind energy stocks, and windpower developments in China.
The answer my friend ...
Joe T
A Snapshot of the Global Windpower Industry
By Nick Hodge Tuesday, August 26th, 2008
I've discussed wind energy in these pages many times before, but the conversation seems to have always turned to a discussion of wind turbine stocks. Today, I want to take a step back, look at the industry as a whole, and focus more broadly on wind energy companies.
The Wind Energy Industry
First, let's get a quick rundown of the growth of the domestic and international wind markets out of the way. Here's the chart for wind power capacity growth by year:
As you can see, global installed capacity for wind energy has grown 482% over the last seven years, from 14,604 MW in 2000 to 84,934 MW in 2007. Broken down further, the international wind industry has a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR or year-over-year) of 28.6%, which is impressive, to say the least.
But the past performance of the wind energy stocks is going to do little to help the future performance of your portfolio, apart from establishing an historic trend and highlighting what you've been missing. So here's the global wind energy installed capacity forecast, going out to 2012:
Now this is information that can give your portfolio a boost. In an industry that's doubling in size every four years or less, there are surely more than a few companies worthy of investment operating within it.
The only thing left to do is to actively seek out the best ones.
To start the search, it's probably worth taking a look at the countries currently boasting the highest year-over-year growth in the wind industry. So here they are, along with their respective annual growth rates, as provided by GlobalData:
Turkey, 95.4%
Mexico, 84.7%
Brazil, 61%
China, 54%
Poland, 50.9%
Of course, those are the fastest growing markets. According to GlobalData, the largest markets by megawatt capacity are:
China, 51,200 MW
U.S, 45,454 MW
Spain, 36,715 MW
Germany, 35,829 MW
India, 25,935 MW
The only thing left to do is single out the largest operators in those areas, invest, and reap the profits.
Wind Energy Companies
Let's begin with China since that's the only country to appear in both the largest market and fastest grower categories. Per GlobalData, here are the largest wind companies operating in China that each installed more than 100 MW in 2007:
Goldwind Science and Technology (SZ: 002202)
Sinovel Windtec Co.
Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica (MCE: GAM)
Vestas Wind Systems (CPH: VWS)
Dongfang Electric Corporation (HKSE: 1072)
GE Energy (NYSE: GE)
Suzlon Energy Limited (NSE: SUZLON)
Most of those companies trade on foreign exchanges. If you dabble in those markets, my money is on Vestas and Gamesa, with Suzlon in third. But the companies that trade in China could see significant growth as the industry continues to mature.
Vestas, for example, is getting $1,628 per kW for their turbines. The average price is $1,008 per kW.
In the U.S., which is the market most of you are probably interested in, the dynamic shifts dramatically.
GE Energy (NYSE: GE)
Vestas Wind Systems (CPH: VWS)
Siemens AG (NYSE: SI)
Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica (MCE: GAM)
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (TYO: 7011)
Suzlon Energy Limited (NSE: SUZLON)
Clipper Windpower (LSE: CWP)
Nordex (FRANKFURT: NDX1)
Of course, my first two picks of Vestas and Gamesa still stand, and now you can see it's because of their intense presence across multiple markets. My sleeper pick here is Nordex. The other side of the coin is to look at the largest wind farms being erected to identify the companies involved.
Naikun probably offers the lowest share price in relation to potential for that group.
A Windy Future
So that's a snapshot of the global wind industry. I think some clear winners are definitely emerging. But there is much more to come. And some tiny companies will certainly make their mark before all is said and done. This is because the big boys alone can't satiate the surging demand for wind energy and related products and services. For example, through 2020 in Europe, wind is expected to account for 34% of new generating capacity. It'll account for 46% from 2020-2030. And the goal of attaining 12-14% of Europe's power from wind by 2020 is well within reach.
Here in the U.S., an Energy Department study found that wind energy could generate 20% of U.S. electricity by 2030, as compared to today's one percent.
The answer my friend ...
Joe T
A Snapshot of the Global Windpower Industry
By Nick Hodge Tuesday, August 26th, 2008
I've discussed wind energy in these pages many times before, but the conversation seems to have always turned to a discussion of wind turbine stocks. Today, I want to take a step back, look at the industry as a whole, and focus more broadly on wind energy companies.
The Wind Energy Industry
First, let's get a quick rundown of the growth of the domestic and international wind markets out of the way. Here's the chart for wind power capacity growth by year:
As you can see, global installed capacity for wind energy has grown 482% over the last seven years, from 14,604 MW in 2000 to 84,934 MW in 2007. Broken down further, the international wind industry has a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR or year-over-year) of 28.6%, which is impressive, to say the least.
But the past performance of the wind energy stocks is going to do little to help the future performance of your portfolio, apart from establishing an historic trend and highlighting what you've been missing. So here's the global wind energy installed capacity forecast, going out to 2012:
This data reveals that the industry will grow 215% between 2007 and 2012, from 84,934 MW to 267,837 MW. That's a CAGR of 25.8%!!!
Now this is information that can give your portfolio a boost. In an industry that's doubling in size every four years or less, there are surely more than a few companies worthy of investment operating within it.
The only thing left to do is to actively seek out the best ones.
To start the search, it's probably worth taking a look at the countries currently boasting the highest year-over-year growth in the wind industry. So here they are, along with their respective annual growth rates, as provided by GlobalData:
Turkey, 95.4%
Mexico, 84.7%
Brazil, 61%
China, 54%
Poland, 50.9%
Of course, those are the fastest growing markets. According to GlobalData, the largest markets by megawatt capacity are:
China, 51,200 MW
U.S, 45,454 MW
Spain, 36,715 MW
Germany, 35,829 MW
India, 25,935 MW
The only thing left to do is single out the largest operators in those areas, invest, and reap the profits.
Wind Energy Companies
Let's begin with China since that's the only country to appear in both the largest market and fastest grower categories. Per GlobalData, here are the largest wind companies operating in China that each installed more than 100 MW in 2007:
Goldwind Science and Technology (SZ: 002202)
Sinovel Windtec Co.
Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica (MCE: GAM)
Vestas Wind Systems (CPH: VWS)
Dongfang Electric Corporation (HKSE: 1072)
GE Energy (NYSE: GE)
Suzlon Energy Limited (NSE: SUZLON)
Most of those companies trade on foreign exchanges. If you dabble in those markets, my money is on Vestas and Gamesa, with Suzlon in third. But the companies that trade in China could see significant growth as the industry continues to mature.
Vestas, for example, is getting $1,628 per kW for their turbines. The average price is $1,008 per kW.
In the U.S., which is the market most of you are probably interested in, the dynamic shifts dramatically.
Here are the largest companies operating in the USA domestic wind market:
GE Energy (NYSE: GE)
Vestas Wind Systems (CPH: VWS)
Siemens AG (NYSE: SI)
Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica (MCE: GAM)
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (TYO: 7011)
Suzlon Energy Limited (NSE: SUZLON)
Clipper Windpower (LSE: CWP)
Nordex (FRANKFURT: NDX1)
Of course, my first two picks of Vestas and Gamesa still stand, and now you can see it's because of their intense presence across multiple markets. My sleeper pick here is Nordex. The other side of the coin is to look at the largest wind farms being erected to identify the companies involved.
Here are the companies that come up when discussing the largest planned wind farms in the U.S., and around the world:
Clipper Windpower (LSE: CWP)
British Petroleum (NYSE: BP)
Naikun Wind (TSX.V: NKW)
Vattenfall AB
SUEZ (PARIS: SZE)
RWE Group (XETRA: RWE)
Clipper Windpower (LSE: CWP)
British Petroleum (NYSE: BP)
Naikun Wind (TSX.V: NKW)
Vattenfall AB
SUEZ (PARIS: SZE)
RWE Group (XETRA: RWE)
Naikun probably offers the lowest share price in relation to potential for that group.
A Windy Future
So that's a snapshot of the global wind industry. I think some clear winners are definitely emerging. But there is much more to come. And some tiny companies will certainly make their mark before all is said and done. This is because the big boys alone can't satiate the surging demand for wind energy and related products and services. For example, through 2020 in Europe, wind is expected to account for 34% of new generating capacity. It'll account for 46% from 2020-2030. And the goal of attaining 12-14% of Europe's power from wind by 2020 is well within reach.
Here in the U.S., an Energy Department study found that wind energy could generate 20% of U.S. electricity by 2030, as compared to today's one percent.
Full article continues at: Green Chip Review article on worldwide wind energy industry
More clean energy investing:
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Windpower Company website links, wind energy stocks, wind power associations
Wind energy stocks, renewable power links, green energy investing, windpower company stock quotes, wind energy websites, clean power funds, alternative energy investments and windpower investing information available online
Please click Add Favorites on your toolbar; Bookmark for easy future reference:
Top Wind Energy Blogs
The Pickens Plan website analysis and recent news links
Washington Post story on T. Boone Pickens American Energy Plan
Businessweek story on Pickens Plan
Money.CNN.com web page on The Pickens Plan
Dallas News story article on T. Boone Pickens Energy Plan
Pickens Plan Recent news and links; August 3rd, 2008
The Pickens Plan - Online Analysis and Open Forum
Please click Add Favorites on your toolbar; Bookmark for easy future reference:
Wind Energy Company Stocks Websites
- AAER Wind Energy (TSX-V) Canadian windpower stock
- Acciona Windpower (ANA.MC)
- America's Wind Energy Corporation (OTC: AWNE)
- Babcock & Brown Wind Partners (ASX: BBW BBWPF.PK)
- Boralex Wind Power
- Broadwind Energy Corp Official Company website (BWEN.OB)
- Canadian Hydro Developers (TSX: KHD) - Wind Energy and Renewable Power Producer
- Cleanfield Energy Corp (TSX:AIR)
- Clipper Windpower (CWPR.L) wind turbine manufacturer
- Dakshidin Wind (DKSC) - RESTEC water pumping windmills
- First Wind Energy (WNDY) company website, 2008 windpower IPO
- Gamesa Corp (GAM.MC) english website
- GE Power Wind Energy website
- Greentech, Denmark-based windpower development company
- Itron.com (NASD: ITRI) Energy and Water Resource Management
- Juhl Wind Inc. (JUHL.OB) - Community windpower leader
- Kaydon Corp (KDN) - Leading manufacturer of bearings for wind turbines
- Nacel Energy (NCEN.OB) USA, Caribbean and Latin America wind developer
- Naikun Wind Energy
- Nordex Group (eiNDX1) - German Wind Energy Company
- Novera Energy PLC (LSE:NVE) - UK wind power producer
- Plambeck Holding (eiPNE3) - German Wind Energy Park and Biogas Plant Owner / Manager
- SkyPower Wind Energy Fund
- SkyPower.com - Canadian wind energy company
- Suzlon Energy (SUZL) windpower company
- Theolia (eQ18481) - France-based Windpower and Biogas power plant developer
- Vestas Wind Systems (VWSYF)
- Welwind Energy Intl (WWEI.OB) developer of wind farms in China
- Western Wind Energy (WND: TSX.V)
- Windflow Technology Ltd (NZAX:WTL), New Zealand wind turbine designer / manufacturer
- Xantrex Technology (XTX)
North American Windpower Manufacturers / Distributors
- Bergey Windpower Company, world's leading small-scale wind turbine manufacturer
- Distributed Energy Systems - Extreme weather wind turbines / generators
- Energy Maintenece Services - Subsidiary of Broadwind Energy
- Entegrity Wind Systems - Commercial-scale wind turbines
- GE Wind Energy products and services
- Southwest Windpower, maker of Skystream personal wind energy systems
- WES Canada - Canadian Wind Energy Solutions
- Wind Turbine Industries Corp - Distributor of Jacobs wind energy systems
Top Wind Energy Blogs
- AltEnergyStocks.com Invest In Green Companies
- Alternative-Energy-News.info Quality Clean Power Blog
- Biofuels.coop Windpower Blog by Glen Estill
- Offshore Renewable Energy Law Blog Wind and Wave Power
- Rising Wind Clean Energy Blog
- Solar and Wind Energy News
- Wind Energy Blog WindIntell.com
- WindEnergyInvesting.com Windpower Stock News
- Wind Energy News Blog
- Wind Machine Blog - Online Resources for Wind Energy Community
- Wind Tech International Website and Blog
North American and Global Wind Energy Associations
- AfriWEA website - African Wind Energy Association
- American Wind Energy Association
- Australian Wind Energy Association
- British Wind Energy Association
- CalWEA - California Wind Energy Association
- CanWEA - Canadian Wind Energy Association
- European Wind Energy Association
- German Windpower Association english website
- Indian Wind Energy association
- Irish Wind Energy Association
- New Zealand Wind Energy Association
- Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association
- Ontario Sustainable Energy association
- World Wind Energy Association website
Clean Energy Power Stocks, Renewable Energy Investing; Industries to benefit from The Pickens Plan
- A Green Realtor Blog
- Bees Trees Frogs Elephants Ecology Blog
- Calvert Global Alternative Energy Fund (CGAEX)
- Canadian Hydro (KHD) wind projects
- Canadian Wind Energy Atlas
- Geothermal Power Stocks and Investing
- Guide to Best Alternative Energy Investing Websites
- Naikun Wind BC project
- Net Metering explained
- Ormat Tech (ORA) geothermal energy company
- Renewable Energy Stocks website
- SkyPower Wind Energy Fund
- Solar Buzz Renewable Power News
- Suzlon Wind company website
- The Solar Intelligence Blog
- Vesta Wind official website
- Western Wind Energy company site
- Wind energy investments, public windpower stocks
- Windpower page on Wikipedia
Conscious Blogs and Progressive Websites
- Geotherma.info Geothermal Power Stocks Investments
- Official Website of Water Partners International
- Greenpeace International Official Website
- Nature.com - Animals, Ecology, Habitat, Environment
- Nature.ca - Canadian Natural World Website
- SolarIntell.com - directory of Alternative Energy Websites and Blogs
- Solar Energy webpage on Wikipedia Open Source Encyclopedia
- Domain of Man - Learn Historical Identities of Key Biblical Figures
- Clean Energy, World Peace, Music and Culture; the Solar Intelligence Blog
- Bees Trees Frogs Elephants Blog - Nature and Ecology Website
- Geotherma.info Geothermal Energy Investing
The Pickens Plan Analysis and Commentary:
The Pickens Plan website analysis and recent news links
Washington Post story on T. Boone Pickens American Energy Plan
Businessweek story on Pickens Plan
Money.CNN.com web page on The Pickens Plan
Dallas News story article on T. Boone Pickens Energy Plan
Pickens Plan Recent news and links; August 3rd, 2008
The Pickens Plan - Online Analysis and Open Forum
Recent news; The Pickens Plan for USA Energy Independence, UPDATED August 4th, 2008
T. Boone Pickens being cast as a right-wing Al Gore
From the Kansas City Star:
Not full-tilt Al Gore, but Pickens has got some ideas
By RHONDA CHRISS LOKEMAN
Creators Syndicate Inc.
Midwesterners are notorious cynics. So you can see why some took a dim view when a Texas oil tycoon came to Kansas to chat up alternative fuels.
Seems like forever that folks were used to hearing Big Oilmen speak of alternative fuels only in terms of pump options, meaning regular, premium and diesel. So when a certain wealthy Texan called on Topeka recently, folks were treated to a horse of a different color.
Good thing the oil tycoon was introduced by someone Kansans know and trust: Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, defender of the small carbon footprint, who warmed up the crowd.
What Kansans saw in T. Boone Pickens was a kind of hybrid oilman. He favors domestic oil exploration, but he’s promoting alternative energy usage, too. He wants people pumped up about natural gas to fuel our cars and about buying hybrids.
He’s talking about wind power, nothing new to anyone who has driven along the Kansas prairie lately. Still, that’s nothing compared with Pickens’ plans to develop a $10 billion wind farm in western Texas. Kansans are becoming famous for their experiments with green living. Tornado-ravaged Greensburg is being rebuilt almost entirely green because of a project supported by actor Leonardo DiCaprio and other environmentalists.
The architect of the “Pickens Plan” is serious about the need for the nation to consider alternative energy sources. No harm in making money and creating jobs in the meantime, he says. Fair enough.
Let’s be clear. Tex Pickens isn’t going full-tilt Al Gore here. He’s not become some ultra-environmentalist who wants us all to reduce, reuse and recycle. He’s for domestic drilling in the outer continental shelf and Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
The so-called green alternatives he’s hawking, including that wind farm, really come down to supply and demand. Something has to be done, and American ingenuity is such that we can fix this problem ourselves, he believes.
Complete article at: Kansas City Star article on T. Boone Pickens natural gas energy plan
From the Dallas Morning Herald
T. Boone Pickens' energy plan strikes chord with both political parties
July 31, 2008
By DAVE MICHAELS / The Dallas Morning News
WASHINGTON – T. Boone Pickens has known many reputations during his 80 years: oilman, corporate raider and hard-core Republican partisan.
But in the space of a month, his image has grown more public-spirited, as lawmakers from both parties warm to the ideas of the nation's energy oracle, picking bits of his speeches that seem to fit their message.
Also Online
Tell us: What do you think of Pickens' plan?
Link: PickensPlan Web site
Republicans eager to force votes on new exploration have emphasized Mr. Pickens' support for offshore drilling.
Democrats anxious to move beyond petroleum have invoked Mr. Pickens' renewable energy gospel.
"It's not Al Gore" urging the country to move away from oil, Majority Leader Harry Reid said Wednesday. "It's T. Boone Pickens, different political party, different persuasion than Al, saying we've got to move to renewables."
Mr. Pickens has put $58 million into an advertising campaign that urges the country to adopt wind power and natural gas – the focus of his own investments – as replacements for foreign oil.
He's made a quick impact, judging by the frequency with which legislators quote him.
Yet he might be disappointed if he were to measure the results of his effort by recent events.
On Wednesday, Senate Republicans blocked a big tax bill that would have extended a tax credit on which wind developers rely for another year. The measure is unlikely to pass before the Senate leaves for its August recess, according to lawmakers and lobbyists.
Mr. Pickens has made the valuable tax credit a centerpiece of his plan, saying it should be extended for a decade.
The credit amounts to about one-third of a wind farm's construction costs, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Most projects wouldn't make money without it, according to the trade group.
But the parties can't agree on how to renew it.
Full article at:
Dallas News story on The Pickens Plan
Washington Times editorial on the Pickens Plan:
Monday, July 28, 2008
EDITORIAL: When Pickens speaks
A great many listen. That's a good thing. T. Boone Pickens is nothing if not an aggressive innovator, and the country needs some real energy innovation right now. Last week, the Texas oil billionaire, "Swiftboat" funder and now windpower guru, took to Washington to push his "Plan." The goal is an America free of its dependency on foreign oil. The prime method would be a network of wind turbines stretching from the Texas panhandle to North Dakota that frees up natural gas for auto fuel conversion.
How realistic is the Pickens Plan? The sheer ambition is itself telling, as are some rather Pickensian unrealities on gas. There are also lingering questions about his intent. But the proposal is surely worth Washington's attention and that of American industry.
Mr. Pickens' unprecedented turbine network comes in at $1 trillion, to be borne largely by the private sector plus another $200 billion for the power-transport infrastructure. The envisioned network could meet 20 percent of the country's electricity needs if Mr. Pickens' numbers are correct (compared to wind's less than 1 percent of total U.S. output today). Once in operation, the United States could then shift its natural-gas consumption, presently 22 percent of U.S. electrical generation, to fuels for transportation. If this sounds like a staggering investment of money in technologies not yet very market-competitive, it is. But a one-time $1.2 trillion compares favorably to the $700 billion each year, in perpetuity, in foreign-oil payments if today's prices persist. This is not even counting higher future demand. So speaks Mr. Pickens, and his plan deserves discourse in the public and private sectors.
Of course, there are catches. Significant tax credits came up during Mr. Pickens' congressional testimony. This means the jazzy "private sector investment" assurances are tempered by real, unknown and probably significant budgetary impacts. Another subject of interest is Mr. Pickens' apparent desire to bring much more Canadian natural gas across the border. Someone should tell the Canadians, who until now have made other plans for a most prized natural resource. Then there are the oilman's investments in wind power. These can be read either as the tycoon putting his money where his mouth is or gearing up for a big future profit.
At minimum, it is good to see an oil magnate thinking big thoughts about petroleum overdependency. All the real alternatives - nuclear, natural gas, wind and more - should be on the table. For that reason it is disappointing that Mr. Pickens is not beating the drum more loudly on nuclear energy. Mr. Pickens says he is for all the energy options. That is well and good. But why not expend a comparable effort to push this clean and efficient technology? While the public is still quite wary about nuclear energy, Mr. Pickens is perhaps betting that politics will continue to quash it out of fear.
From the Los Angeles Times Opinion page:
A Boone for California?
T. Boone Pickens has given to California Proposition 10, a measure on the Nov. 4 ballot that would authorize the sale of $5 billion in bonds to provide rebates to buyers of hybrids and other alternative-fuel cars. What do you get the Texas oilman who has everything? Why, a $5 billion ballot measure, of course.
Perhaps that’s unfair. Knowing that it’s better to give than to receive, T. Boone Pickens has given to California Proposition 10, a measure on the Nov. 4 ballot that would authorize the sale of $5 billion in bonds to provide rebates to buyers of hybrids and other alternative-fuel cars. I mean, he spent $3.25 million of his own money just to get this clean-energy measure on the ballot. He’s now on a nationwide campaign to get Americans to give up their gasoline habit and to get their government to invest in alternative energy. You may have seen his TV commercials, or his Pickens Plan website.
But back to Proposition 10, and what to do with all that bond money. Hey, how about handing out rebates to cities and counties to buy fleets of -- oh, I don’t know, I'm just thinking out loud here -- natural-gas vehicles? I mean, Clean Energy Fuels Corp. has a huge network of natural gas fuel stations around the country, so there’s already a refueling infrastructure in place. Gee, I wonder who owns Clean Energy Fuels. Let's look that up…. Why, look here! It's owned by T. Boone Pickens! What a coincidence!
The Contra Costa Times' Steve Harmon has the story. He reports on critics angry over Pickens' "brazen attempt to get Californians to foot the bill" for a measure that will cost them and their descendants $9.8 million billion dollars, including interest, over the next 30 years. Harmon also notes that Proposition 10's campaign manager, Marty Wilson, is was* Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s chief fundraiser. Another amazing coincidence.
Oh, did I forget to mention that Pickens has been in the ballot measure biz before? As The Times' David Zahniser detailed in this Feb. 1 story, Pickens threw in $150,000 to help Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa pass his successful ballot measure to broaden (and shrink) the city telephone tax. At the same time, Clean Energy Fuels was backing Villaraigosa's plan to convert all trucks at the Port of Los Angeles to natural gas.
So is it all a horrible idea? Californians may be OK with paying to get more alternative energy vehicles off the road and more poison and carbon out of the air. The Times' David Lazarus picked apart the Pickens Plan in a column earlier this month, and although Proposition 10 is not discussed, Lazarus correctly points out that what's good for America does not become suddenly bad merely because a rich guy might profit from it.
But people already are back-ordering Priuses, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a line forming for the Chevy Volt longer than the one I waited in for Zeppelin tickets outside the Ticketron at the Boyle Heights Sears in 1977. Do taxpayers really have to underwrite alt-vehicle sales?
A mighty tip of the hat to Joe Mathews and his Blockbuster Democracy blog – an indispensable resource for those who follow the world of ballot measures.
*Marty Wilson was Schwarzenegger's chief fundraiser until about a year ago.
More browsing:
The Pickens Plan website analysis and links
New York Times Interview with T. Boone Pickens
Washington Post article on T. Boone Pickens USA Energy Plan
Businessweek article on The Pickens Plan
Money.CNN.com story on The Pickens Plan
Geothermal Energy stocks, geothermal power investing information
The Pickens Plan - Analysis and Commentary
Pickens promotes wind and natural gas; biofuels, solar and geothermal to follow
The Pickens Plan is a positive force because it is simple and achievable and though far from ideal, at least it shifts the discussion to what is possible.
Pickens Plan webpage on wikipedia
The idea that all vehicles will just be switched over to natural gas would be a boon to the major oil companies, but ignores the success of ethanol and biodiesel and the likely emergence of electric vehicles, which will each carve out their own share of the green car market.
Synopsis of The Pickens Plan with website links
Windpower is paramount and crucial to US security, but geothermal and solar are equally important.
Official Pickens Plan website of T. Boone Pickens
Here is an excerpt from the new alternative energy proposal put forward by Texas oilman and hedge fund manager T. Boone Pickens:
The United States is the Saudi Arabia of wind power.
Studies from around the world show that the Great Plains States are home to the greatest wind energy potential in the world — by far.
The Department of Energy reports that 20% of America's electricity can come from wind. North Dakota alone has the potential to provide power for more than a quarter of the country.
Today's wind turbines stand up to 410 feet tall, with blades that stretch 148 feet in length. The blades collect the wind's kinetic energy. In one year, a 3-megawatt wind turbine produces as much energy as 12,000 barrels of imported oil.
Wind power currently accounts for 48 billion kWh of electricity a year in the United States — enough to serve more than 4.5 million households. That is still only about 1% of current demand, but the potential of wind is much greater.
A 2005 Stanford University study found that there is enough wind power worldwide to satisfy global demand 7 times over — even if only 20% of wind power could be captured.
Building wind facilities in the corridor that stretches from the Texas panhandle to North Dakota could produce 20% of the electricity for the United States at a cost of $1 trillion. It would take another $200 billion to build the capacity to transmit that energy to cities and towns.
That's a lot of money, but it's a one-time cost. And compared to the $700 billion we spend on foreign oil every year, it's a bargain. An economic revival for rural America.
Developing wind power is an investment in rural America.
To witness the economic promise of wind energy, look no further than Sweetwater, Texas.
Sweetwater was typical of many small towns in middle-America. With a shortage of good jobs, the youth of Sweetwater were leaving in search of greater opportunities. And the town's population dropped from 12,000 to under 10,000.
When a large wind power facility was built outside of town, Sweetwater experienced a revival. New economic opportunity brought the town back to life and the population has grown back up to 12,000.
In the Texas panhandle, just north of Sweetwater, is the town of Pampa, where T. Boone Pickens' Mesa Power is currently building the largest wind farm in the world.
At 4,000 megawatts — the equivalent combined output of four large coal-fire plants — the production of the completed Pampa facility will double the wind energy output of the United States.
In addition to creating new construction and maintenance jobs, thousands of Americans will be employed to manufacture the turbines and blades. These are high skill jobs that pay on a scale comparable to aerospace jobs.
Plus, wind turbines don't interfere with farming and grazing, so they don't threaten food production or existing local economies.
A cheap new replacement for foreign oil.
The Honda Civic GX Natural Gas Vehicle is the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle in the world according to the EPA.
Natural gas and bio-fuels are the only domestic energy sources used for transportation.
Cleaner
Natural gas is the cleanest transportation fuel available today.
According to the California Energy Commission, critical greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas are 23% lower than diesel and 30% lower than gasoline.
Natural gas vehicles (NGV) are already available and combine top performance with low emissions. The natural gas Honda Civic GX is rated as the cleanest production vehicle in the world.
According to NGVAmerica, there are more than 7 million NGVs in use worldwide, but only 150,000 of those are in the United States.
The EPA estimates that vehicles on the road account for 60% of carbon monoxide pollution and around one-third of hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions in the United States. As federal and state emissions laws become more stringent, many requirements will be unattainable with conventionally fueled vehicles.
Since natural gas is significantly cleaner than petroleum, NGVs are increasing in popularity. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach recently announced that 16,800 old diesel trucks will be replaced, and half of the new vehicles will run on alternatives such as natural gas.
Cheaper
Natural gas is significantly less expensive than gasoline or diesel. In places like Utah and Oklahoma, prices are less than $1 a gallon. To see fueling stations and costs in your area, check out cngprices.com.
Domestic
Natural gas is our country's second largest energy resource and a vital component of our energy supply. 98% of the natural gas used in the United States is from North America. But 70% of our oil is purchased from foreign nations.
Natural gas is one of the cleanest, safest and most useful forms of energy — residentially, commercially and industrially. The natural gas industry has existed in the United States for over 100 years and continues to grow.
Domestic natural gas reserves are twice that of petroleum. And new discoveries of natural gas and ongoing development of renewable biogas are continually adding to existing reserves.
While it is a cheap, effective and versatile fuel, less than 1% of natural gas is currently used for transportation.
Full details at:
Complete online text of The Pickens Plan, official site T. Boone Pickens
Alternative Energy Investing, Windpower Stocks Investments
Analysis and commentary, news reports on The Pickens Plan:
The Pickens Plan is a positive force because it is simple and achievable and though far from ideal, at least it shifts the discussion to what is possible.
Pickens Plan webpage on wikipedia
The idea that all vehicles will just be switched over to natural gas would be a boon to the major oil companies, but ignores the success of ethanol and biodiesel and the likely emergence of electric vehicles, which will each carve out their own share of the green car market.
Synopsis of The Pickens Plan with website links
Windpower is paramount and crucial to US security, but geothermal and solar are equally important.
Official Pickens Plan website of T. Boone Pickens
Here is an excerpt from the new alternative energy proposal put forward by Texas oilman and hedge fund manager T. Boone Pickens:
The United States is the Saudi Arabia of wind power.
Studies from around the world show that the Great Plains States are home to the greatest wind energy potential in the world — by far.
The Department of Energy reports that 20% of America's electricity can come from wind. North Dakota alone has the potential to provide power for more than a quarter of the country.
Today's wind turbines stand up to 410 feet tall, with blades that stretch 148 feet in length. The blades collect the wind's kinetic energy. In one year, a 3-megawatt wind turbine produces as much energy as 12,000 barrels of imported oil.
Wind power currently accounts for 48 billion kWh of electricity a year in the United States — enough to serve more than 4.5 million households. That is still only about 1% of current demand, but the potential of wind is much greater.
A 2005 Stanford University study found that there is enough wind power worldwide to satisfy global demand 7 times over — even if only 20% of wind power could be captured.
Building wind facilities in the corridor that stretches from the Texas panhandle to North Dakota could produce 20% of the electricity for the United States at a cost of $1 trillion. It would take another $200 billion to build the capacity to transmit that energy to cities and towns.
That's a lot of money, but it's a one-time cost. And compared to the $700 billion we spend on foreign oil every year, it's a bargain. An economic revival for rural America.
Developing wind power is an investment in rural America.
To witness the economic promise of wind energy, look no further than Sweetwater, Texas.
Sweetwater was typical of many small towns in middle-America. With a shortage of good jobs, the youth of Sweetwater were leaving in search of greater opportunities. And the town's population dropped from 12,000 to under 10,000.
When a large wind power facility was built outside of town, Sweetwater experienced a revival. New economic opportunity brought the town back to life and the population has grown back up to 12,000.
In the Texas panhandle, just north of Sweetwater, is the town of Pampa, where T. Boone Pickens' Mesa Power is currently building the largest wind farm in the world.
At 4,000 megawatts — the equivalent combined output of four large coal-fire plants — the production of the completed Pampa facility will double the wind energy output of the United States.
In addition to creating new construction and maintenance jobs, thousands of Americans will be employed to manufacture the turbines and blades. These are high skill jobs that pay on a scale comparable to aerospace jobs.
Plus, wind turbines don't interfere with farming and grazing, so they don't threaten food production or existing local economies.
A cheap new replacement for foreign oil.
The Honda Civic GX Natural Gas Vehicle is the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle in the world according to the EPA.
Natural gas and bio-fuels are the only domestic energy sources used for transportation.
Cleaner
Natural gas is the cleanest transportation fuel available today.
According to the California Energy Commission, critical greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas are 23% lower than diesel and 30% lower than gasoline.
Natural gas vehicles (NGV) are already available and combine top performance with low emissions. The natural gas Honda Civic GX is rated as the cleanest production vehicle in the world.
According to NGVAmerica, there are more than 7 million NGVs in use worldwide, but only 150,000 of those are in the United States.
The EPA estimates that vehicles on the road account for 60% of carbon monoxide pollution and around one-third of hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions in the United States. As federal and state emissions laws become more stringent, many requirements will be unattainable with conventionally fueled vehicles.
Since natural gas is significantly cleaner than petroleum, NGVs are increasing in popularity. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach recently announced that 16,800 old diesel trucks will be replaced, and half of the new vehicles will run on alternatives such as natural gas.
Cheaper
Natural gas is significantly less expensive than gasoline or diesel. In places like Utah and Oklahoma, prices are less than $1 a gallon. To see fueling stations and costs in your area, check out cngprices.com.
Domestic
Natural gas is our country's second largest energy resource and a vital component of our energy supply. 98% of the natural gas used in the United States is from North America. But 70% of our oil is purchased from foreign nations.
Natural gas is one of the cleanest, safest and most useful forms of energy — residentially, commercially and industrially. The natural gas industry has existed in the United States for over 100 years and continues to grow.
Domestic natural gas reserves are twice that of petroleum. And new discoveries of natural gas and ongoing development of renewable biogas are continually adding to existing reserves.
While it is a cheap, effective and versatile fuel, less than 1% of natural gas is currently used for transportation.
Full details at:
Complete online text of The Pickens Plan, official site T. Boone Pickens
Alternative Energy Investing, Windpower Stocks Investments
Analysis and commentary, news reports on The Pickens Plan:
Additional online information on T. Boone Pickens energy plan:
Wikipedia sources, notes and references
- ^ http://www.denverpost.com/rapids/ci_9845133
- ^ "Pickens backs renewable energy plan". San Antonio Business Journal (2008-07-08). Retrieved on 2008-07-13.
- ^ http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D91PUFLO0.htm
- ^ http://blogs.wsj.com/buzzwatch/2008/07/08/t-boone-pickens-facebook-guy-pickens-plan-taps-social-networking/?mod=googlenews_wsj
- ^ http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/07/11/pickensplan-wind-energy-tech-science-cz_af_0710pickens.html
- ^ http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/07/11/pickensplan-wind-energy-tech-science-cz_af_0710pickens.html
- ^ http://blogs.wsj.com/buzzwatch/2008/07/08/t-boone-pickens-facebook-guy-pickens-plan-taps-social-networking/?mod=googlenews_wsj
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2008-07-08-t-boone-pickens-plan-wind-energy_N.htm
- ^ http://nyherald.com/endorsement-pickens-plan-2/107.html
- ^ Independent Green Party of Virginia official site, www.votejoinrun.us
- ^ http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus9-2008jul09,0,7890733.column
- ^ http://www.denverpost.com/rapids/ci_9845133
- ^ ""T-Bone for Him, Slim Pickin's for Us", Star-Telegram (2008-07-20). Retrieved on 2008-07-23.
- ^ http://www.theintelligentcommunity.com
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