Wind Power and the National Energy Situation

(re: this New York Times article about Bluewater Wind)

It's great to see that Delaware is moving towards replacing old coal plants with wind power. From the standpoint of the environmentally concerned, it seems like getting anything done in the energy industry -- especially anything that could lead to an increase in energy and utility costs -- is an uphill battle. In the long run, converting to cleaner and renewable energy can only be beneficial.

But what caught my eye was a quote from Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute, stating that we need "the grid equivalent of the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System." We currently have a state-by-state patchwork of different energy policies. The article mentioned T. Boone Pickens as a major player with his nationwide wind program. This is a name that's familiar to me, so I had a look at his website.

PickensPlan

As an environmental studies student, I'm used to looking at potential new policies and developments from the perspective of how they'll help or harm the environment. Pickens seems to be looking from the perspective of how they'll help or harm our economy, and it's refreshing to see how closely our interests can align. He cites figures of how many billions of dollars we throw overseas at foreign oil. Domestic wind, he claims, should produce new jobs, keep the money we were formerly spending on oil at home, and provide a crucial step towards energy independence.

The New York Times article cites the cost of his project at $43 billion. This is hardly a small endeavor, and that money has to come from somewhere. In our current economy, it'll take some doing to convince people that it's worth it to take a chance on wind power. But with examples like Bluewater Wind as precedent, I remain hopeful.