Today in Energy
Coal stockpiles at coal-fired power plants smaller than in recent years
Coal stocks at electric power plants, which totaled 121 million tons at the end of August, are relatively low in both absolute and days of burn terms relative to recent historical norms. This is true both nationally and in the Upper Midwest. About two-thirds of coal used to generate electric power moves from coal mine to power plant either fully or partially by rail.
Tags: coal , electricity , generators , rail , stocks , transportation
Texas leads nation in growth in oil and natural gas production jobs during 2013
Note: Oil and natural gas production jobs comprise the North American Industry Classifications System (NAICS) categories for oil and gas extraction, support activities for oil and gas operations, and drilling oil and gas wells.
Texas added more than 19,000 new private sector jobs in oil and natural gas production in 2013, almost six times the number added in New Mexico, the next highest state for oil and natural gas production jobs added last year. The extraction, drilling, and support jobs categories are a measure of on-the-ground production jobs, and do not reflect the many jobs at oil and natural gas corporate headquarters based in Texas.
Tags: Colorado , natural gas , North Dakota , oil/petroleum , Oklahoma , Pennsylvania , states , Texas , Wyoming
LED light bulbs keep improving in efficiency and quality
Note: Reflects Lighting Facts database through November 3, 2014.
Improvements in lighting technology for light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs have increased lighting efficiency, or efficacy, as well as color quality. In September of this year, several manufacturers released ENERGY STAR®-qualified bulbs surpassing 100 lumens per watt. For comparison, traditional incandescent bulbs, which do not meet current light bulb efficiency standards and are no longer sold, provide 13 to 18 lumens per watt.
Tags: efficiency , lighting
U.S. gasoline prices move with Brent rather than WTI crude oil
Recent increases in U.S. crude oil production have sparked discussion on how this increase in supply will be used by U.S. refiners given current limitations on exporting domestic crude. On October 30, EIA released a study that explored the relationships between crude oil and gasoline prices.
Tags: Brent , crude oil , exports , gasoline , liquid fuels , oil prices , oil/petroleum , prices , WTI (West Texas Intermediate)
Crude exports and re-exports continue to rise; some volumes sent to Europe and Asia
The United States exported 401,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) of crude oil in July 2014, the highest level of exports in 57 years and the second highest monthly export volume since 1920, when EIA's published data starts. Recent crude oil exports are also noteworthy for both their origins and destinations. As a result of existing U.S. crude oil export restrictions, most U.S. crude exports are sourced domestically and are sent only to Canada. However, since April, crude exports have included modest amounts of Canadian-produced barrels that were moved through the United States and then re-exported to Switzerland, Spain, Italy, and Singapore.
Tags: Canada , crude oil , exports , Italy , liquid fuels
Colder weather drives forecast of 2014 energy-related CO2 emissions 1.1% above 2013 level
In the long term, energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are driven by economic and efficiency trends and changes in the fuel mix. But weather fluctuations, which drive the level of energy use for both heating and cooling, are a very significant factor affecting year-to-year variation in fossil fuel consumption and their resulting emissions.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission resumes license renewals for nuclear power plants
Following a two-year hiatus, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has resumed issuing license renewals for nuclear power plants. On October 20, the NRC renewed the operating licenses for Limerick Generating Station Units 1 and 2, located northwest of Philadelphia, extending their license expiration dates by 20 years, to 2044 and 2049, respectively. With this action, the NRC has granted license renewals providing a 20-year extension to a total of 74 of the 100 operating reactors in the United States. Nuclear power accounted for 20% of total power sector electricity generation in 2013.
Tags: electricity , nuclear
Benchmarks play an important role in pricing crude oil
Note: Dubai/Oman price calculated by taking the average of Dubai and Oman spot prices.
When energy analysts and the media discuss the price of crude oil, they are typically referring to one of a small group of specific types of crude oil that are widely and actively bought and sold. The use of such benchmark crudes makes it easier for buyers and sellers to price the variety of crudes that are produced around the world.
Tags: Brent , crude oil , WTI (West Texas Intermediate)
Increasing ethanol use has reduced the average energy content of retail motor gasoline
EIA has adjusted its estimates of the energy content of retail motor gasoline in the Monthly Energy Review (MER) to reflect its changing composition. Ethanol and other oxygenates, which have lower energy content than petroleum-based gasoline components, have seen their share of total gasoline volumes increase from 2% in 1993 to nearly 10% in 2013. As a result, EIA's estimate of motor gasoline's average energy content per gallon has declined by about 3% over this 20-year period.
Tags: biofuels , ethanol , gasoline , liquid fuels , renewable
Electricity distribution investments rose over the past two decades
Investment by U.S. investor-owned utilities in the electricity distribution system has increased over the past two decades. While down from a peak of $20 billion in 2012, 2013 levels remain higher than spending in the 1990s and early 2000s. Increased investment in the electricity distribution system has occurred even as U.S. electricity sales have decreased.
Tags: distribution , electricity
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