In EIA’s recently released Annual Energy Outlook 2019 (AEO2019) Reference case, projected residential and commercial purchased electricity consumption grows more slowly than the number of households or total commercial floorspace. As a result, electricity intensity—the amount of electricity consumed per…
Month: February 2019 (page 2)
Power blocks in natural gas-fired combined-cycle plants are getting bigger
Combined-cycle electric generating systems are combustion and steam turbines that operate in groups commonly referred to as power blocks. Since 2014, the average size of a natural gas-fired combined-cycle power block has increased significantly. The average combined-cycle power block installed…
Emissions from the U.S. electric power sector projected to remain mostly flat through 2050
EIA’s recently released Annual Energy Outlook 2019 projects that the U.S. electric power sector emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon dioxide (CO2) will remain mostly flat through 2050, assuming no changes to current laws and regulations.…
U.S. production and use of refined coal continues to increase
U.S. production of refined coal, which is coal that has been processed to reduce emissions when burned, reached record highs in 2017, and it is expected to increase even further in 2018. Use of refined coal has increased despite the…
Most U.S. utility-scale solar photovoltaic power plants are 5 megawatts or smaller
The United States has more than 2,500 utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generating facilities. Most of these power plants are relatively small and collectively account for 2.5% of utility-scale electric generating capacity and 1.7% of annual electricity generation, based on…
Future U.S. electricity generation mix will depend largely on natural gas prices
U.S. exports of ethane have increased from nearly nothing in 2013 to an average of 260,000 barrels per day (b/d) through the first 10 months of 2018, accounting for about one-sixth of U.S. hydrocarbon gas liquids exports. Ethane is a…
The United States expands its role as world’s leading ethane exporter
U.S. exports of ethane have increased from nearly nothing in 2013 to an average of 260,000 barrels per day (b/d) through the first 10 months of 2018, accounting for about one-sixth of U.S. hydrocarbon gas liquids exports. Ethane is a…
More stringent marine sulfur limits mean changes for U.S. refiners and ocean vessels
The implementation of new regulations affecting marine fuel specifications will have implications for crude oil and petroleum product markets over the coming decade. Previous Today in Energy articles described these regulations and the short-term implications for refining margins through 2020.…
