A new wind-power blade manufacturing plant that will create an estimated 1,000 jobs is in the works, according to Dallas-based Tang Energy. The company is gearing up to supply blades for a $1.5 billion Texas wind farm that was unveiled last month by U.S. and Chinese investors. Today’s announcement is only the latest indication of the many positive effects on the U.S. economy of developing domestic energy sources.

U.S. Renewable Energy Group (led by Dallas investor Cappy McGarr), A-Power Energy Generation Systems Ltd. of Shenyang, China, and Cielo Wind Power LP of Austin plan to build a wind farm capable of generating more than 600 megawatts of electricity on 36,000 acres of land. According to the Dallas Morning News, the project calls for 240 Chinese-made turbines and 720 blades, each 157 feet long. Most of the wind farm would be financed by Chinese investors, but the developers say they’ll ask the U.S. government to cover 30 percent of the $1.5 billion cost.

“Until now, we have made blades only in China, sold blades there, and imported only profits,” Tang CEO Patrick Jenevein III told the newspaper. “Now we’ve got a start to actually deliver blades into Texas, so effectively we’ll need to build a factory in the U.S.”

Site selection is already under way.

Pickens Predicts $100 crude in 2010, $300 by 2020 – HeatingOil.com – 11/16/09

MARKET WATCH: Economic Gains, Weak Dollar Boost Energy Prices – Oil & Gas Journal Online – 11/17/09

Exxon Chief: Weak Dollar Drives Oil Higher – MoneyNews.com – 11/17/09

“I am proud to welcome T. Boone Pickens and his mission for an independent energy future for our nation to Connecticut,” Congressman Larson. “Since the launch of the Pickens Plan, he has recruited millions of Americans to join in a goal that I completely support creating a new clean energy economy for America.”

The forum will take place at the River Campus of Goodwin College, a property that once housed an oil terminal. “Today,” Larson said, “Goodwin College is one of the fastest growing educational institutions in the state.”

The Pickens Plan focuses on reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil and encourages the development of alternative energy sources like wind and natural gas. Since its inception over a year ago, T. Boone Pickens has recruited millions of American citzens, corporations and businesses, as well as political leaders to actively join in the mission.

Congressman Larson, a member of the Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming, is an original co-sponsor of the NAT GAS Act which Pickens supports. The legislation will make domestic natural gas a more accessible alternative to imported oil while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and urban pollution in vehicles.

To RSVP or obtain further information about the town hall forum, please contact Congressman Larson’s office at 860-278-8888.

Who: U.S. Congressman John B. Larson; T. Boone Pickens, Creator of the Pickens Plan

What: Town Hall Forum on the Economy and Energy with T. Boone Pickens

When: Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 4-5:30pm

Where: Goodwin College Auditorium, River Campus, One Riverside Drive, East Hartford, CT.

If you are in the Northeast please plan to come.  If you know someone in the area who might enjoy hearing Boone in person, please pass this information along to them.

– The Pickens Team

Chesapeake CEO: Finding Natural Gas Support Not Easy, But Necessary – Fort Worth Business Press – 11/13/09

Different Approaches Unite Green Reformers – The UTD Mercury – 11/16/09

Reversal of Fortune in Iraq Oil Fields – The National – 11/14/09

Pickens’ BP Capital Bought 1.04M Shares Of Sandridge In 3Q – Dow Jones – 11/16/09

Pickens: $300 Oil is Still On Its Way – BNET – 11/13/09

Gordon Currie on Where to Invest in Energy Right Now – Seeking Alpha – 11/16/09

John Wesley Nobles, California State Leader

-Tell us a little about yourself

I am a former Mortgage Banker, and a California Real Estate Broker for over 35 years. I have been retired for about 6 years now.  During the past 2 years I just reconnected with my father’s side of the family.  His submarine, the USS Grunion which was missing in action in the Aleutians in 1942 was located in 2007, and as a result we reunited through the Internet.  I now am part of a large family, and have the family history dating back to 1806. This part of the story will likely be a movie someday.

-Why are you involved with the Pickens Plan?

I am involved with Pickens Plan because our national security is at stake…and in my opinion energy and the economy are the two most important issues that we as Americans face today.  Failure on these issues is not an option.  T. Boone Pickens convinced me early on that we have to get this done and get off foreign oil as quickly as possible.  T. Boone Pickens and 1.6 million highly motivated volunteers make it impossible to not be involved.  Every American Citizen should be working with Pickens Plan…it is a marvelous opportunity to give back to the country that we all love.

-Tell us about the things you have done to promote the Pickens Plan

Promoting the Pickens Plan is an honor and a privilege and it is something we can all do.  For me I get back more than I give.  Some of my minor contributions include getting Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-44) to sign the Pickens Plan Pledge, recruiting 132 Pickens Plan Members (that I know of), calling and writing politicians, media, etc.  So far I have called all 53 California Members of Congress, and many Senators and Members of Congress around the country.  My good friend, Wayne Bowser, the other California state leader and I both live in CA-41, and work together through his Green Revolution Show, and other ways to promote the Pickens Plan.  Wayne and I really enjoy our involvement in the army and hope our efforts will help to get our country off foreign oil.  Each of us is contributing by just joining Pickens, there is no charge, and we can do as much or as little as we like or are able.

-Share one idea for what you’d like to accomplish through your work with the Pickens Plan over the next three months

During the next 3 months I will continue reaching out to as many people as possible to assist in getting the NAT GAS Act passed, then hopefully before year’s end we can move forward with the rest of our agenda.  First, we have to get the NAT GAS Act made into law…this will likely take the next 2 months.  After the first of next year I hope we can diligently move the rest of our agenda forward.  It is nice knowing that 1.6 million people will be doing the same thing.  We are part of a great group of people! It is amazing, we come from many backgrounds, from all over the world,  yet we share this same interest.

“Meet the Army” is a series here on Daily Pickens featuring New Energy Army members and how they are making a difference by being involved in the Pickens Plan. Who knows, maybe we’ll see you here soon! Click here to join your State and District Groups and get involved.

We reached our goal of 120 bi-partisan cosponsors of the NAT GAS Act (H.R. 1835) way before 11/20.

Our efforts are having an impact!

You know the numbers on natural gas: 2,000 trillion cubic feet of reserves in the continental United States; more than 100 years worth — enough to fuel our heavy truck fleet, provide electrical power to our homes and businesses, plenty for cooking and heating, and more than enough remaining for other crucial uses like fertilizer and chemical production.

Congressmen Dan Boren (D-OK), John Sullivan (R-OK), and John Larson (D-CT) have shown true leadership in helping their colleagues to see how important passing the NAT GAS Act is to America’s energy future.

We are keeping the pressure on, and we’ve got our eye on the goal:  Get this bill passed in the House and the Senate, signed into law by President Obama, and begin reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

If you haven’t already, click here to email your Member of Congress today and ask them to cosponsor this important legislation.

Let’s keep this momentum going.

Boone

No. 1: Abdullah bin Abdulaziz

King, Saudi Arabia

As the world’s largest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia is the lead camel in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) caravan. When oil prices dipped down to $40 a barrel, Saudi Arabia was vocal in its call for $75 oil–meaning the 12 OPEC nations would agree to limit production forcing the prices of oil to that level. During October, oil was back at $80 a barrel. No other individual in the petro-world has the influence of King Abdullah and his oil ministers.

No. 2: Barack Obama

President, United States of America

The U.S. uses nearly a quarter of the world’s oil with 4% of its population. President Obama can end 40 years of increasing dependence on foreign oil by putting his stamp of approval on the New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act (or NAT GAS Act) which is making its way through the House and Senate. The NAT GAS Act promotes the use of natural gas powered vehicles through a combination of tax credits and by requiring the federal government to dramatically increase the size of its natural gas powered fleet. Unlike other legislative initiatives, the NAT GAS Act has bipartisan support in both chambers.

No. 3: The New Energy Army

Activists, the Pickens Plan

More than 1.6 million Americans have signed on to support my Pickens Plan, which aims to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, primarily through massive investment in wind power and reallocation of our natural gas resources to power our vehicles. Through their e-mails, phone calls and visits to the offices of their congressmen and senators, the so-called New Energy Army, speaking with one voice, has helped make foreign oil dependence a major piece of the American legislative and political discussion.

No. 4: Dr. Fatih Birol

Chief Economist, International Energy Agency

Fatih Birol is the chief economist of the International Energy Agency. When he says things like, “the world would need to find the equivalent of four times the crude oil reserves now held by Saudi Arabia to maintain current production plus six Saudi Arabias if it is to keep up with the expected increase in demand between now and 2030,” the world sits up and takes notice.

No. 5: Terrorists

One of the issues surrounding energy is that a relatively small group of terrorists can have an enormous impact on availability and distribution. As an example, groups such as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta in Nigeria have demonstrated that the entire global energy system is so finely balanced that it can be materially impacted by one well-placed bomb in a far corner of the world. The War on Terror is not just about airliners and commuter trains; it is just as much about oil supplies and transmission lines.

No. 6: Wen Jiabao

Premier, People’s Republic of China

Nothing is likely to have as much impact on the world price of oil as the industrial growth in China. China’s one billion-plus population has made it clear they want a better (more Western) lifestyle, and that will be fueled by oil. The Chinese have spent over $100 billion in the last three years buying oil resources around the world, which is impacting what the value of oil in the ground is worth.

No. 7: Vladimir Putin

Prime Minister, Russia

Putin is an aggressive nationalist and will continue to use his country’s vast energy resources as a weapon. Given what he did last winter when he shut off natural gas supplies to much of Western Europe in an argument over pricing with Ukraine, it is clear that Vladimir Putin can, single-handedly, change the world’s energy equation at any time for any reason.

To read the Online version at Forbes.com, click HERE

– The Pickens Team