I think comparing energy and transportation is comparing apples to oranges. They’re two sides of the same coin, but need differing technological methods.
We can’t wean ourselves off of imported oil in a stroke, but finding alternative scources to power our houses and buildings will take a load off. There’s plenty of innovation in the transport sector, let someone/something else take the lead in finding new power sources in that field.
Just because Wind power isn’t a single ‘magic bullet’ doesn’t mean its not a worthy and workable piece of the total energy’ jigsaw puzzle’ which will be our power sources in the coming decades.
While I don’t think that Mr Pickens would win my ‘guy I’d like to have a beer with’ award, I have to give him credit for thinking laterally – not something you see every day in the Oil Club. He has a lot of experience in the energy sector, and I’m glad that he’s thinking beyond ‘drill, drill, drill” and exploring other ways to keep the lights on.
Yes, while wind power, especially on the scale that Pickens is envisioning, will have some environmental effect, its still going have a lot less of an impact that the constant shipping, to and fro, of huge quantities of petroleum products.
Or the environmental and human impact of making yet more refineries.
Not to mention the ever present fear of tanker spills, refinery attacks, etc.. both natural and human, in correlation to the massive amount of the stuff we ship all over the world.
So, yeah, its a drop in the bucket – but at least its one drop among many. Enough people like Pickens and his ilk start thinking beyond oil, and the bucket will be full.
