The second main speaker at the Clean Energy Summit was T Boone Pickens who has been putting all those TV ads together, spending HIS OWN MONEY on it to educate the American Public on how we are transferring our wealth to the Middle East for their oil. He has a plan and he has already started investing the money to make the plan work.
In contrast to Clinton his down-home-folksy speaking style suited him and his use of a marker board only enhanced his simple approach to solving our "energy crisis". Even when he would stumble over his words, like Clinton did, he would recover with a simple ease that endeared himself to the people of the opposite party he was speaking to. It was hard NOT to like him.
As to his message. His main argument is that we are transferring $700 billion every year for oil and we can cut that by 38% in the next 5 years. The way to do this is to change all our vehicles from oil based gasoline to natural gas. ALL of our natural gas is produced in the US and it is cleaner and more efficient than gasoline. He says to start with the truck fleets in the nation which upgrade their semi's, on average, every 2 1/2 years, so by 5 years all semi's on the road should be natural gas. All new cars should start soon after. This would bridge the gap between battery powered vehicles which are, realistically, 10 years away from mass appeal. It is a simple conversion to make engines that run on gas to ones that run on natural gas. This is the biggest step. He called on Senator Reid for the tax incentives to make it happen but he believes the market will pay for the rest.
The rest of the oil that is used for power generation (after the 38% used for vehicles) will be locally produced and not Middle East produced but also will be reduced with wind and solar every year to make up for taking Natural Gas out of the electricity generating process.
What impressed me, contrary to Clinton, was that he came carrying a check. He has spent millions already on this project and is intending to spend hundreds of millions if that is what it takes. Money spoke pretty loudly. I wish he was a Nevada Oil Man and not a Texas Oil Man.
Showing posts with label Reid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reid. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Clintonspeak:
So I attended the Clean Energy Summit put on by Harry Reid and UNLV this week. The keynote speaker on Monday night was former President Bill Clinton. I had never heard Clinton speak before (other than on TV when prez and such) and I was definitely not impressed.
Forget the message for a minute but the former President was a mess as a speaker. I have been a Toastmaster for almost 10 years now and speak 3-4 times a week at various groups so I have a little speaking experience. Clinton's speech was a bumbling mess. He tried to speak from some notes he "wrote in the plane on the way here" and it came across like it was a terrible flight. He repeatedly lost his place and referred to point 7 as point 2 and point 8 as his second point and repeated himself or joked until he found his place again. It was to the point that I was uncomfortable for him. I expected a lot more from a guy who gets millions each year just to speak to them.
As to the content of his speech. He showed a depth of knowledge on Alternative Energy that I appreciated. A couple of things like "de-coupling" energy companies that I had not heard of before and his closing on making Nevada a kind of pilot program for total energy independence made me applaud. Clinton did well when he told stories and he could have told a lot more of them. He made great points but I wish his presentation was a lot more professional. With the VAST majority of those attending having Clinton as their hero he got a standing ovation when he was done and the conference went on.
I have said this before and I say it again. Words are great but time slips by as we talk. The time has come to DO something. I would have loved Clinton to put some of his or his foundation's (which he touted over and over again) money into Nevada to make this the pilot program move. We have been SAYING these kind of things since before he was president and still we talk. If he'd have come with a check my ears would have perked up and people from both sides would have cheered.
Forget the message for a minute but the former President was a mess as a speaker. I have been a Toastmaster for almost 10 years now and speak 3-4 times a week at various groups so I have a little speaking experience. Clinton's speech was a bumbling mess. He tried to speak from some notes he "wrote in the plane on the way here" and it came across like it was a terrible flight. He repeatedly lost his place and referred to point 7 as point 2 and point 8 as his second point and repeated himself or joked until he found his place again. It was to the point that I was uncomfortable for him. I expected a lot more from a guy who gets millions each year just to speak to them.
As to the content of his speech. He showed a depth of knowledge on Alternative Energy that I appreciated. A couple of things like "de-coupling" energy companies that I had not heard of before and his closing on making Nevada a kind of pilot program for total energy independence made me applaud. Clinton did well when he told stories and he could have told a lot more of them. He made great points but I wish his presentation was a lot more professional. With the VAST majority of those attending having Clinton as their hero he got a standing ovation when he was done and the conference went on.
I have said this before and I say it again. Words are great but time slips by as we talk. The time has come to DO something. I would have loved Clinton to put some of his or his foundation's (which he touted over and over again) money into Nevada to make this the pilot program move. We have been SAYING these kind of things since before he was president and still we talk. If he'd have come with a check my ears would have perked up and people from both sides would have cheered.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
BLM Pushes Solar Power back FIVE YEARS!
We've been hearing about it now for a few weeks but the Fed's, the BLM: Bureau of Lame Management, er, sorry, the Bureau of LAND Management has decided to put a moratorium on disposing of or leasing land for Solar projects. They complain that they have gotten "so many" applications in the last few years that they need to do an environmental impact study to see if the new shade offered to the desert turtles will hurt them or not. Read the PVT article.
They want to push any approvals back for 22 months! That is almost TWO YEARS! How long does it take to find out whether a turtle likes the shade of a solar panel or not? Add that two years to the current THREE YEAR process to get the proper permits and we are still at least FIVE YEARS away from any new Solar Power in rural Nevada. That is not even counting the time it take to build the solar or wind plants.
I put this solidly in Senate MAJORITY Leader Harry Reid's lap. He is the freekin' head of the US Senate with a majority in Congress and what have we seen for all his LIP SERVICE to renewables in Nevada. Back when new coal plants were being proposed and he came out saying "over my dead body" he should have said "No to coal but I will get the BLM to release 50,000 acres for solar and wind projects"
I am TIRED of the lip service to renewables by ALL OUR POLITICIANS. It seems like this Ed Goedhart from Nye County is the ONLY ONE who gets it!
They want to push any approvals back for 22 months! That is almost TWO YEARS! How long does it take to find out whether a turtle likes the shade of a solar panel or not? Add that two years to the current THREE YEAR process to get the proper permits and we are still at least FIVE YEARS away from any new Solar Power in rural Nevada. That is not even counting the time it take to build the solar or wind plants.
I put this solidly in Senate MAJORITY Leader Harry Reid's lap. He is the freekin' head of the US Senate with a majority in Congress and what have we seen for all his LIP SERVICE to renewables in Nevada. Back when new coal plants were being proposed and he came out saying "over my dead body" he should have said "No to coal but I will get the BLM to release 50,000 acres for solar and wind projects"
I am TIRED of the lip service to renewables by ALL OUR POLITICIANS. It seems like this Ed Goedhart from Nye County is the ONLY ONE who gets it!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Now were Talking Common Sense
The Las Vegas Sun actually gave Governor Gibbons a positive news story. I think this is the first time since - well I don't remember it ever happening. In "Gibbons takes another whack at pipeline plan" the Sun restrains itself from making any negative comments and sticks to just conflicting comments between Gibbons and one of his advisors. Read all of Gibbons comments in the Lahontian Valley News
But lets talk about the real meat behind the story. Doesn't this seem like common sense? Instead of spending BILLIONS of dollars buiding a pipeline to pump rural Nevada dry for a very thirsty Las Vegas lets spend BILLIONS and develope a NEW SOURCE for water instead. I mean really? Lets turn our unlimited salt water, covering 70% of the earth's surface into drinkable water instead of taking the limited ranchers and farmers water from rural Nevada. Now I understand that the Las Vegas Water Authority has bought up millions of acres in rural Nevada for the water rights and I don't begrudge the ranchers and farmers from selling to make a good profit but stopping this now is the BEST IDEA.
In fact why isn't EVERY POLITICIAN scrambling to support this? Harry Reid is so set against coal plants in rural Nevada for environmental reasons why would he not support Gibbons in stopping this pipeline for environmental reasons. Granted salt water is not as abundant and renewable as the sun, wind, and geothermal is but it is damn close. Before this gets any further PRONevada calls on our local and state politicians to become PRO Nevada and stop the pipeline before it goes any further!
PRONevada.org
But lets talk about the real meat behind the story. Doesn't this seem like common sense? Instead of spending BILLIONS of dollars buiding a pipeline to pump rural Nevada dry for a very thirsty Las Vegas lets spend BILLIONS and develope a NEW SOURCE for water instead. I mean really? Lets turn our unlimited salt water, covering 70% of the earth's surface into drinkable water instead of taking the limited ranchers and farmers water from rural Nevada. Now I understand that the Las Vegas Water Authority has bought up millions of acres in rural Nevada for the water rights and I don't begrudge the ranchers and farmers from selling to make a good profit but stopping this now is the BEST IDEA.
In fact why isn't EVERY POLITICIAN scrambling to support this? Harry Reid is so set against coal plants in rural Nevada for environmental reasons why would he not support Gibbons in stopping this pipeline for environmental reasons. Granted salt water is not as abundant and renewable as the sun, wind, and geothermal is but it is damn close. Before this gets any further PRONevada calls on our local and state politicians to become PRO Nevada and stop the pipeline before it goes any further!
PRONevada.org
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Access to BLM Land for Alternative Energy!
Now that is a great idea! The LVRJ tells us that Sen. Reid is proposing opening up Federal BLM (Bureau of Land Management) Land for use in alternative energy.
If ANY OF YOU have tried to get the BLM to release or "dispose of" land (I have) you know that it is like rolling over an elephant by yourself. It literally takes an act of congress to get it done. While Clark County has done some innovative (and lucrative) coordination between the BLM, environmental groups, and businesses all the rural counties have not. So you are stuck with some arbitrary 10 year plan in our rural counties for disposing of land. All of us know how well 10 year plans work out. Anything outside of that planned disposal takes an Act of Congress.
PRONevada is PRO ANYTHING that will free up the 67% of Nevada held by the BLM, ESPECIALLY for use in alternative energy.
(But let's not forget our farmers and ranchers who can also turn that BLM desert into food on your table)
PRONevada.org
If ANY OF YOU have tried to get the BLM to release or "dispose of" land (I have) you know that it is like rolling over an elephant by yourself. It literally takes an act of congress to get it done. While Clark County has done some innovative (and lucrative) coordination between the BLM, environmental groups, and businesses all the rural counties have not. So you are stuck with some arbitrary 10 year plan in our rural counties for disposing of land. All of us know how well 10 year plans work out. Anything outside of that planned disposal takes an Act of Congress.
PRONevada is PRO ANYTHING that will free up the 67% of Nevada held by the BLM, ESPECIALLY for use in alternative energy.
(But let's not forget our farmers and ranchers who can also turn that BLM desert into food on your table)
PRONevada.org
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