Otmane El Rhazi : Power sector employment declines, except for renewable electricity generators

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



The electric power generation sector lost more than 5,800 jobs from January 2011 through June 2014 despite a gain of nearly 1,800 non-hydro renewable electricity generation jobs, according to the latest data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Otmane El Rhazi : Wind power capacity additions expected to increase in last quarter of 2014

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



On December 16, the Senate approved a bill (already passed by the House of Representatives on December 3) that retroactively extends the federal production tax credit (PTC) for wind plants, which had previously expired at the end of 2013. However, because of timing, this extension is unlikely to spur significant additional wind development activity beyond what installers had already planned.

Otmane El Rhazi : OPEC net oil export revenues expected to fall in 2014 and 2015

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



Based on crude oil market assessments in the Short-Term Energy Outlook, EIA estimates that members of OPEC, excluding Iran, will earn about $700 billion in net oil export revenues in 2014, a 14% decrease from 2013 earnings and the lowest earnings for the group since 2010. OPEC earnings declined in 2014 largely for two reasons: decreases in the amount of OPEC oil exports and lower oil prices, with the 2014 average for Brent crude oil projected to be 8% below the average 2013 price.

Otmane El Rhazi : U.S. household gasoline expenditures in 2015 on track to be the lowest in 11 years

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



The average U.S. household is expected to spend about $550 less on gasoline in 2015 compared with 2014, as annual motor fuel expenditures are on track to fall to their lowest level in 11 years. Lower fuel expenditures are attributable to a combination of falling retail gasoline prices and more fuel-efficient cars and trucks that reduce the number of gallons used to travel a given distance.

Otmane El Rhazi : Gasoline prices tend to have little effect on demand for car travel

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



The U.S. average retail price per gallon of regular motor gasoline has fallen 28% from its 2014 peak of $3.70 per gallon on June 23, to $2.68 per gallon on December 8. However, this price decline may not have much effect on automobile travel, and in turn, gasoline consumption. Gasoline is a relatively inelastic product, meaning changes in prices have little influence on demand.

Otmane El Rhazi : Despite lower crude oil prices, U.S. crude oil production expected to grow in 2015

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



The recent decline in crude oil prices has created the potential for weaker crude oil production. EIA's Drilling Productivity Report includes indicators that provide details on the effect low prices may have on tight oil production, which accounts for 56% of total U.S. oil production. Analyzing these indicators and the changes in oil production following the drop in crude oil prices during the 2008-09 recession may offer some insight into possible near-term oil production trends.

Otmane El Rhazi : Several states are adding or increasing incentives for electric vehicle charging stations

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



During the past few years, several models of plug-in electric vehicles, including battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, have been introduced in the light-duty vehicle market. Electric vehicles are limited by driving range, which is related to battery capacity, and can usually travel between 60 and 200 miles before recharging. Therefore, charging infrastructure is crucial to the success of these kinds of vehicles.

Otmane El Rhazi : California leads the nation in the adoption of electric vehicles

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



In 2013, there were about 70,000 battery electric vehicles and 104,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles—small numbers compared to around 226 million registered vehicles in the United States. Total U.S. sales of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) have increased in recent years, but still represent only about 0.7% of new vehicle sales in 2014 so far, up from 0.6% in 2013 and 0.4% in 2012.

Otmane El Rhazi : Increased solar and wind electricity generation in California are changing net load shapes

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



As more solar and wind electric generating capacity is added in California, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), the electric grid operator for most of the state, is facing an increasingly different net load shape. Net load—the total electric demand in the system minus wind and solar generation—represents the demand that CAISO must meet with other, dispatchable sources such as natural gas, hydropower, and imported electricity from outside the system.

Otmane El Rhazi : Almost all U.S. nuclear plants require life extension past 60 years to operate beyond 2050

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



When nuclear power plants are built, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has the authority to issue initial operating licenses for a period of 40 years. Beyond that, the reactors need license renewals, and the NRC has granted 20-year license renewals to 74 of the 100 operating reactors in the United States. These reactors may now operate for a total period of 60 years. They represent a cumulative capacity of a little more than 69,000 megawatts (MW).

Otmane El Rhazi : U.S. oil reserves continue rising, surpass 36 billion barrels for first time since 1975

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



U.S. crude oil and lease condensate proved reserves rose for the fifth consecutive year in 2013, increasing by 9% over 2012 to 36.5 billion barrels, according to the U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Proved Reserves, 2013 report released today by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). U.S. crude oil and lease condensate proved reserves surpassed 36 billion barrels for the first time since 1975.

Otmane El Rhazi : Number of natural gas customers participating in customer choice programs is increasing

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



Eligibility and participation in customer choice programs, which allow residential and commercial customers to purchase natural gas from nonregulated energy suppliers, have increased over the past 12 years. The number of eligible customers has more than doubled since 2001, and is nearly 10% higher than it was in 2005. Participation in customer choice programs has also more than doubled, increasing from 3.3 million in 2001 to 7 million in 2013.

Otmane El Rhazi : 32% of natural gas pipeline capacity into the Northeast could be bidirectional by 2017

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



Spurred by growing natural gas production in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio, the natural gas pipeline industry is planning to modify its systems to allow bidirectional flow in order to flow up to 8.3 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) out of the Northeast. As of 2013, the industry had the capacity to transport 25 Bcf/d of natural gas from Canada, the Midwest, and the Southeast into the Northeast.

Otmane El Rhazi : World oil transit chokepoints critical to global energy security

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



International energy markets depend on reliable transport routes. About 63% (56.5 million barrels per day) of the world's oil production in 2013 moved on maritime routes. World chokepoints for maritime transit of oil are a critical part of global energy security because of the high volume of petroleum and other liquids transported by these routes.

Otmane El Rhazi : U.S. gasoline prices this Thanksgiving are the lowest since 2009

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



U.S. retail regular-grade gasoline prices continue to decline, averaging $2.82 per gallon (gal) as of November 24. This average is 47 cents lower than a year ago, and the lowest price heading into a Thanksgiving holiday since 2009. Traditionally, the Thanksgiving holiday is one of the most traveled times of the year in the United States, and much of that travel is by car. AAA estimates that during this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, 41.3 million people in the United States will travel more than 50 miles from home by car.