When
Al Gore challenged the U.S. to produce all of its electricity from renewable sources in 10 years, his aggressive plan to combat climate change was pitted against another recently- unveiled proposal, from Texas billionaire
T. Boone Pickens, to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.
Gore's plan is expected to cost between $1.5 trillion and $3 trillion and involves investment in wind, solar and geothermal energy, energy efficiency and a national power grid. He also wants to retain energy production from nuclear and hydroelectric power plants, and invest in technology to store and capture carbon dioxide from coal and gas.
The “Pickens Plan,” calls for a massive switch to natural gas as a transportation fuel and a dramatic increase in wind power. Pickens says his $300 billion plan will reduce the amount of imported oil by more than a third in the next decade.
Pickens, a Texas oilman, is funding his own ad campaign and has commercials running on TV already. Gore has the backing of the “We Campaign,” a $300 million effort launched earlier.
On NBC’s “Meet the Press” this weekend, Gore said he disagrees with Pickens that natural gas should be the dominant transportation fuel, advocating for electric cars instead. Pickens, however, has said Gore’s plan doesn’t do enough address the nation’s dependence on oil imports.
above via Reuters
What is the Answer?
There is much these men agree on and both plans stand in stark opposition to President Bush’s recent move to increase domestic oil production by lifting the ban on oil drilling along most U.S. coastal states.
Do you support Gore, Pickens or Bush? Are there parts of each plan that you like? Or, are you just glad that there is dialogue taking place?
