The world's best thinkers on energy and climate
Two out of three of EIA’s measures of natural gas production in the United States set records in 2017. U.S. natural gas production measured as gross withdrawals reached 90.9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2017, the highest volume on record according to EIA’s Monthly Crude Oil, Lease Condensate, and Natural Gas Production Report. … [Read more...]
President Trump may soon grossly distort competitive markets for electricity. Last week, he announced his consideration of a request for “202(c),” by which he means an $8 billion proposal to bail out all merchant coal and nuclear plants in a region that spans across 13 Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states. … [Read more...]
The decision of Bosch not to enter battery production may prove to be a historic mistake, writes Gerard Reid. Bosch was no doubt motivated by its failure in the solar power market, but according to Reid the battery market is very different. It is much more complex, involves much more technology and will be a critical pillar of the new economy. If Bosch and others don’t get over their solar complex, European industry may get seriously hurt. … [Read more...]
EIA forecasts that drivers in the United States will pay an average of $2.74 per gallon (gal) this summer for regular gasoline, the highest average summer gasoline price in four years, according to EIA’s Short-Term Energy and Summer Fuels Outlook. … [Read more...]
Electricity distribution networks in Europe run at well below their full potential, finds a new study from the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP). The findings show that the unused network capacity could be utilised for charging electric vehicles with little or no need for additional capacity. Smart pricing and smart grid technologies will be the keys. … [Read more...]
U.S. crude oil production in the Federal Gulf of Mexico (GOM) increased slightly in 2017, reaching 1.65 million b/d, the highest annual level on record. Although briefly hindered by platform outages and pipeline issues in December 2017, oil production in the GOM is expected to continue increasing in 2018 and 2019. … [Read more...]
Distributed energy resources, from rooftop solar panels to smart well-weatherized homes and timed electric vehicle charging, are vital pieces of the clean energy puzzle. Coordinating how and where to encourage them in a way that benefits the electric grid, the environment, and Californians can be complicated. … [Read more...]
There is no longer any room for doubt — our climate is changing and it’s largely our fault. Thankfully, the sciences have done what they do best and provided us with several short- and long-term measures to help us stop and eventually reverse the trend of ever-higher average temperatures across the globe. … [Read more...]
2017 was a landmark year for the power sector. 2018 will be no less significant. Here is a roundup of five energy trends to keep an eye on in 2018. … [Read more...]
Although no breakthrough has happened in nuclear fusion since it was hailed as the clean energy source of the future in the 1970s, there are reasons to be optimistic now, writes Scott L. Montgomery of the University of Washington. There have been advances in technology, two large reactors are being built and a dozen startups have become active. … [Read more...]
After putting its proposal on hold in April 2017 due to financial concerns, Waste Control Specialists (WCS) announced in late March 2018 that it will resume licensing work at the NRC for a consolidated interim storage facility (CSF) for spent fuel at a site near Andrews, TX. … [Read more...]
In the past few weeks at least seven natural gas pipeline operators were the victims of hackers that targeted third-party communications system Latitude Technologies, causing service disruptions and breakdowns in electronic communications with customers--and that’s lucky. The hacks, while extremely concerning, did not disrupt the supply of gas to U.S. consumers, but the industry may not be so fortunate next time. … [Read more...]
Is the environment exploited? “Of course, Yes!” But what does this mean? More significantly, how is it so and how do we address the issue? Might there be a better way see human progress and the environment that we thrive in without the obvious exploitation? On one hand, green enthusiasts often use “exploitation” as a moral slogan, a polemical phrase – something Karl Marx did frequently as well. … [Read more...]
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