Two Thirds of the Triumvirate Share a Handshake and a Smile

Russia, Iran and Qatar today announced they were forming a “big gas troika” for natural gas production similar to OPEC for oil. Just when it looked like falling oil prices might slow the roll toward alternative energy, another pressing reason pops up like a whack-a-mole game.

Natural gas is already a huge source of energy around the globe, with widespread usage of the greenhouse gas emitting fuel for home heating and electrical power generation. Recently it has even been seriously proposed by T. Boone Pickens for his own Pickens Plan as an alternative fuel source to power automobiles in the United States. However, as this recent announcement coming specifically from Iran and Russia (I don’t want to pick on little Qatar) clearly illustrates, increasing the usage of Natural Gas around the globe in place of oil will put us in the familiar and unenviable position of being beholden to some of the more troubling governments on Earth to satisfy our energy demands.

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The recent “Iran” TV spot from Billionaire T. Boone Pickens that had been rejected by NBC was approved by the network yesterday after T. Boone complained. The commercial, part of Pickens Plan for American energy independence, had been canned by the network for being “unproven”.  The advertisement states that Iran is converting its cars to natural gas in an effort to fully capitalize on high oil prices by not needing to keep oil for their domestic market.   It goes on to say “and we’re doing nothing here” which is apparently the part NBC had taken issue with, asking for proof that nothing indeed was being done in the US to convert cars to run on natural gas.   None of the other major networks had any problems with the spot (seen below).

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With renewable energy sources constantly coming online, the power grid is proving too antiquated and congested to handle the additional electricity.   An article in today’s New York Times details the enormous challenges North America faces in upgrading its power infrastructure for the needs of the 21st Century.   If you remember the massive Northeast Blackout of 2003, you know firsthand the shortcomings of the power grid.

The need for new power infrastructure is currently most vitally needed for wind power production.   Moving electricty from the wind rich Great Plains - the Saudi Arabia of Wind according to Billionaire T. Boone Pickens, whose “Pickens Plan” advocates a full on push for wind energy - to the population centers of the Midwest and Texas will require an enormous investment in power transmission lines.   Notably, the State of Texas has already approved a $4.9 Billion investment in power transmission lines to move wind energy from the Texas panhandle to its major population areas.   But such initiatives will need to be taken up across the entire continent in order to make room on the on the power grid for the enormous amounts of additional energy capacity which will be required to convert to a truly green economy.

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The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

TakePart Gang:

Sudan Leader Charged with Genocide: What Are the Reactions? by Wendy Cohen

Inconvenient Truth of the Day: Al Gore Speaks on Climate Change by Joshua Tremblay

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Nicole Hughes:

“Farms in the Sky” a Solution to Global Food Crisis?

Wal-Mart Launches Eco-Bling Project

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Andy Kondrat:

NYC To Bring in 300 Hybrid Taxis Per Month

Coolio To Educate Students On Climate Change

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Jon Popham:

Pickens’ Plan for Energy Independence

On “Rent” Closing, the East Village, and Gentrification

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Gina Telaroli:

Batman Morals: Top 5 Lessons from the Capped Crusader’s Films

Emmy Nominations Kick “The Wire” to the Curb

T. Boone Pickens has a plan for energy independence in the United States and he’s putting his money where his mouth is to promote it.   The Billionaire Texas Oil Man and investor has been one of the loudest voices warning of peak oil for years now, but now he’s taking his push for alternative sources of energy for the USA a step further with Pickens Plan.  

Pickens’ numbers cannot be disputed (And why would we?  We’re arguing for the same thing on here every day.).   The United States now imports 70% of its oil - up from a mere 24% in 1970.  At today’s prices we are currently sending $700 Billion dollars overseas for the oil we need to run our economy, which is four times the annual cost of the Iraq War.   Over the next ten years the projected cost for the oil we will import at present levels will be $10 Trillion, which will be the largest transfer of wealth in human history.  

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