Otmane El Rhazi : Wind generates more than 10% of Texas electricity in 2014

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



In 2014, more than 10% of the electricity used in the grid covering most of Texas came from wind generation, according to the grid's operator, ERCOT. Wind's share of the ERCOT generation mix grew from 6.2% in 2009 to 10.6% in 2014 as total electricity generation increased over the same period by 11.3%. The growth in wind generation is a result of new wind plants coming online and grid expansions that have allowed more wind power to flow through the system to consumers.

Otmane El Rhazi : Energy efficiency improvements have largely offset effect of more, larger homes

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



The growth in residential energy use has slowed to below the rate of household growth, meaning that per-household energy consumption has decreased. Analysis of EIA's Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) conducted since 1980 shows how improvements in energy efficiency reduced energy intensity enough to offset more than 70% of the growth in both the number of households and the size of dwellings.

Otmane El Rhazi : Proposed efficiency standard may eliminate noncondensing gas furnaces

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



Following a court challenge that caused a previous proposal to be sent back for further analysis, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a new proposed rulemaking to increase the minimum efficiency standards for gas furnaces for the first time since 1992.

Otmane El Rhazi : Shale gas and tight oil are commercially produced in just four countries

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



The United States, Canada, China, and Argentina are currently the only four countries in the world that are producing commercial volumes of either natural gas from shale formations or crude oil from tight formations. The U.S. is by far the dominant producer of both shale gas and tight oil.

Otmane El Rhazi : Saudi Arabia budget insulated from effects of lower oil prices

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



Saudi Arabia is the largest exporter of crude oil and other petroleum liquids in the world, and their oil exports accounted for 89% of the country's total revenue in 2014. The recent decline in global oil prices is decreasing the value of these exports, leading to a potential budget shortfall. In its 2015 budget, Saudi Arabia plans to spend about $230 billion, but expects to take in $190.7 billion in revenue resulting in an overall deficit of $38.6 billion.

Otmane El Rhazi : Japan plans to restart some nuclear plants in 2015 after Fukushima shutdown

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



Previously one of the world's largest producers of nuclear-generated electricity, Japan has relied heavily on fossil fuels following the meltdown at Fukushima Dai-ichi and subsequent shutdown of the country's nuclear fleet. In 2013, when almost all of Japan's nuclear fleet was shut down, more than 86% of Japan's generation mix was composed of fossil fuels. In 2014, Japan's nuclear generation was zero. The Japanese government anticipates bringing online a few nuclear facilities in 2015.

Otmane El Rhazi : EIA tracking tool shows light-sweet crude oil imports to Gulf Coast virtually eliminated

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



The increase in U.S. shale and tight crude oil production has resulted in a decrease of crude oil imports to the U.S. Gulf Coast area, particularly for light-sweet and light-sour crude types. These trends are visualized in EIA's crude import tracking tool, which allows for time-series analysis of crude oil imported to the United States.

Otmane El Rhazi : Iraq was second-leading contributor to global oil supply growth during 2014

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



Despite some supply disruptions and security threats, Iraq was the second-leading contributor to global oil supply growth in 2014, behind only the United States. Iraq accounted for almost 60% of production growth among the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, although this growth was more than offset by production declines in other OPEC countries.

Otmane El Rhazi : Midwest propane market more balanced than a year ago

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



Higher inventories, milder weather, and falling crude oil and natural gas prices have resulted in a Midwest propane market that so far this winter has not experienced the challenges faced last winter, when the combination of depleted inventories and high winter demand pushed propane prices to record highs. This winter, lower demand as a result of a less-severe winter has kept Midwest propane markets well-supplied.

Otmane El Rhazi : Defense Department energy use falls to lowest level since at least 1975

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



Energy used by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) fell to 0.75 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in fiscal year (FY) 2013, the lowest recorded level since at least FY 1975, the earliest available data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). DoD accounts for most of the energy consumed by the federal government.

Otmane El Rhazi : Energy consumption by U.S. government at lowest level since at least 1975

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



The U.S. federal government, with thousands of facilities and vehicles in locations across the United States and abroad, is one of the largest energy consumers in the world, but that consumption is declining. The Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program shows total delivered-to-site energy use by the federal government fell to 0.96 quadrillion Btu in FY 2013, the lowest since 1975, the earliest year for which data are available.

Otmane El Rhazi : Increase in average gasoline prices ends 17-week streak of declining prices

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



EIA conducts a survey of gasoline prices each Monday, and yesterday's survey showed the U.S. average regular retail gasoline price increasing for the first time in 18 weeks. The steady decline in prices over the previous 17 weeks was the longest consecutive decrease in EIA's weekly survey since prices fell 14 cents per gallon over a 24-week period in 1995

Otmane El Rhazi : New England generation fuel mix changes likely as Vermont Yankee nuclear plant retires

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



On December 29, 2014, Entergy shut down its Vermont Yankee nuclear facility after 42 years in service. Vermont Yankee had a capacity of 604 megawatts (MW), generating nearly five million megawatthours (MWh) of electricity per year since 2010. As the fifth-largest source of generation in New England, Vermont Yankee accounted for 4% of New England's total electric generation and more than 70% of generation in Vermont.

Otmane El Rhazi : Upcoming Super Bowl will be first to be lit with energy-efficient LED lights

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



Before the start of the 2014 NFL regular season, University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona, home to Super Bowl XLIX, retrofitted 312 high-performance light-emitting diode (LED) stadium light fixtures. The LED fixtures replaced more than 780 metal halide high-intensity discharge (HID) fixtures and will illuminate the field during the Super Bowl on February 1.

Otmane El Rhazi : Growing U.S. HGL production spurs petrochemical industry investment

Otmane El Rhazi from Today in Energy.



Between 2014 and 2018, U.S. petrochemical capacity expansion projects are projected to increase domestic demand for ethane by nearly 600,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) and propane by nearly 200,000 bbl/d. This growing demand is in response to growing domestic hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGL) supply and favorable petrochemical feedstock prices in the United States relative to the international market.