Pickens made his billions in oil. He said drilling offshore of Alaska to find more oil is OK, but there will not be enough to solve our needs. He told Congress Tuesday that America's dependence on foreign oil is a natural disaster.
"I only have one enemy and that's foreign oil," Pickens said. "That's what I want to get rid of."
Pickens is promoting his plan on television. He wants to build wind turbines in the Midwest to generate electricity; replacing nearly a quarter of U.S. power from natural gas that could then be used to power cars.
Some energy experts said natural gas is also in limited supply.
"Shifting our transportation sector from oil to natural gas is like jumping from the frying pan into the fire," said energy expert Gal Luft.
Pickens said his plan is based on proven technology.
"I have been travelling the country with a simple message: Our country is in a deep hole and it's time to stop digging," Pickens said. "I have a plan to do just that. The response from the American people has been overwhelmingly positive, and I've talked to a lot of people."
A Democratic plan to curb speculation in oil markets is moving forward. However, Republicans called for lifting the ban on offshore oil drilling, saying that will have more impact on prices.
