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8:45	Nathan Bomey - Thanks for joining me. Gov. Jennifer Granholm is kicking off the panel by discussing the state's alternative energy prospects.

8:46	Nathan Bomey - For background on Michigan's renewable energy industry, check out a list of stories in a 70-page publication Michigan Business Review published last fall.

8:48	Nathan Bomey - In a vague reference to Visteon's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing this morning, Granholm says, "It's a tough morning. Frankly it's been a tough decade for Michigan."

8:49	Nathan Bomey - More on Visteon's bankruptcy filing here.

8:55

Nathan Bomey - Granholm is passionately pushing her belief that Michigan needs to develop a vehicle battery production industry. "This battery realm is so natural for us because there is right now in the United States no mass production of batteries, especially for vehicles, to speak of. That battery production is happening in Asia. So what we want to do is be the domestic place where batteries are produced."

9:01	Nathan Bomey - Michigan has some 3,000 auto suppliers that are capable of producing wind turbine components, towers or blades, Granholm says.

9:06	Nathan Bomey - Always lots of talk among alternative energy proponents about transitioning Michigan's manufacturing industry to produce clean tech technology. Although critical to the state's economic turnaround, it feels like it's easier said than done?

9:11	Nathan Bomey - Here's a story by my colleague Sven Gustafson on manufacturers retooling to pursue new industries.

9:16	Nathan Bomey - Granholm wielding inspirational rhetoric in discussing Michigan's hard times: "We are not going to sit back and allow this to go into a downward spiral. We will diversify this economy. We’re going to be all right. In fact, we’re going to be magnificent."

9:16	Nathan Bomey - T. Boone Pickens has taken the stage.

9:18	Nathan Bomey - Last week I published a piece analyzing Pickens' concept of using natural gas as a replacement for gasoline in vehicles.

9:25	Nathan Bomey - Pickens, addressing the prospects of ethanol as a fuel, said he used to vehemently oppose it. Now he favors ethanol because it's domestic. He quipped: "Is it a good fuel? It's an ugly baby, that's what it is. But it's our ugly baby." Room burst out in laughter.

9:37	Nathan Bomey - Pickens projects that oil prices will skyrocket to $300 a barrel within 10 years if the U.S. ignores its energy problem.

9:37	[Comment From cathleen] Hey Nathan. You and Sven rock. Keep up the good work!

9:38	Nathan Bomey - Thanks, Cathleen! Packed house is loving Pickens' talk!

9:53	Nathan Bomey - The world has some 10 million natural gas-powered vehicles, but the U.S. has only 142,000, Pickens said.

9:53	[Comment From Brad] How is this saving us money when companies like Consumers Energey, who has recorded record profits again, keeps passing the cost on to the consumers??

9:55	Nathan Bomey - Brad, I think the unfortunate truth of renewable energy is that it's going to be costly from the beginning. That's partly why Pickens believes natural gas needs to play a larger role in America's energy mix -- because the U.S. has abundant domestic supplies of natural gas.

9:59	[Comment From Sally] How do we join your army? how can we help?

10:00

Nathan Bomey - Sally, T. Boone Pickens has signed up some 1.5 million people to his efforts at PickensPlan.com. Visit the site for details.

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