Oilman says renewable energy the only hope

By Phoebe Sweet

Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008 | 11:17 a.m.

T. Boone Pickens compared America to a boat with no oars headed toward Niagara Falls today, referring to the nation's energy crisis, during the National Clean Energy Summit at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Pickens was in Las Vegas to explain his "Pickens Plan" to reduce reliance on foreign oil by building wind turbines in Texas. Those turbines would replace energy now produced by natural gas, which could then be used in the trucks that ship goods around the country.

Pickens said 70 percent of people polled support the plan, which would reduce reliance on foreign oil by almost 40 percent, but that 65 percent of people polled thought congressional inaction would keep the plan from every becoming policy.

The plan could offset America's oil imports from the troubled Middle East and African nations.

Pickens also said he will spend $58 million advertising the plan this year, in an effort to "elevate" debate during this fall's presidential election. Pickens said he's staying non-partisan during this election, but has met with both Barack Obama and John McCain and challenged them to come out with plans to reduce oil imports by 30 percent within 10 years if they are elected. He said he wants those plans in place within the new president's first 100 days in office.