T. Boone Pickens Sniffs the Wind, Makes a Plan

onAug 13, 2008 @ 14:01 PDT

I Love Capitalists (Smart Capitalists, Anyway)

Oil magnate and takeover king T. Boone Pickens has a plan to save America from its unaffordable dependence on foreign oil: switch to wind.

Of course, critical to this plan is national willingness to support the changeover and to start buying wind power in large amounts from – well, likely from T. Boone Pickens, who is currently building the largest wind farm in the world in Pampa, Texas. Excellent!

It’s interesting that in pitching his plan, Boone doesn’t even mention climate change. Apparently, he’s not about to give anyone the impression that he is on some crazed, late-in-life conversion to environmentalism. Nope, Pickens is all about making money – same as always. Again, excellent!

I have long been of the view that if there is no way for someone to get rich (or in T. Boone’s case, richer) from saving the world, then the world is not going to get saved. This, belatedly, could be the start of something good.

By Richard Littlemore

Event | Join Naomi Klein, Michael E. Mann, and Jim Hoggan to Celebrate DeSmog's 20th Anniversary

ByDeSmog

onJul 1, 2026 @ 16:56 PDT

Sign up for our July 8 virtual conversation on combatting fossil fuels and fascism, keeping up with climate denial, and solving polluted information ecosystems.

Seafood Industry Giants Failing to Tackle Pollution, New Study Finds

ByBrigitte Wear

onJul 1, 2026 @ 03:12 PDT

More farmed salmon will not necessarily bring better food security, say researchers.

Series: Spotlight on Industrial Aquaculture

uk/‘Detailed and Determined Scoop’: DeSmog Wins Association of British Science Writers’ Award

ByDeSmog

onJun 30, 2026 @ 04:10 PDT

Clare Carlile's reporting was recognized under the ‘News Item of the Year’ award for revealing how UK government staffing shortages would harm the environment during a historic drought.