(Thu, 06 Dec 2018) On November 30, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule for the 2019 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program, with the total U.S. renewable fuel volume requirement set 3% higher than the 2018 mandate, but nearly 30% lower than the statutory volume standards set forth by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007).
(Tue, 04 Dec 2018) EIA expects total U.S. coal consumption in 2018 to fall to 691 million short tons (MMst), a 4% decline from 2017 and the lowest level since 1979. U.S. coal consumption has been falling since its peak in 2007, and EIA forecasts that 2018 coal consumption will be 437 MMst (44%) lower than 2007 levels, mainly driven by declines in coal use in the electric power sector.
(Wed, 28 Nov 2018) Shikoku Electric Power Co. restarted the 890 megawatt (MW) Ikata-3 reactor in Japanâs Ehime Prefecture at the end of October, the fifth nuclear reactor in Japan to be restarted in 2018. Japan had suspended its nuclear fleet in 2013 for mandatory safety checks and upgrades following the 2011 Fukushima accident, and before 2018 only four reactors had been restarted.
(Wed, 28 Nov 2018) The U.S Energy Information Administration (EIA) commissioned a two-phase study to examine the possible changes in U.S. refinery operations that might be causing the increasing price differential between premium gasoline and regular retail gasoline prices since 2010.
(Tue, 27 Nov 2018) Flattening year-over-year growth in gasoline demand in the United States, combined with high levels of refinery output, have contributed to low or negative motor gasoline refining margins for refiners along the East and Gulf Coasts. Gasoline refining marginsâthe difference between the spot price of gasoline and the Brent crude oil spot priceâhave been on a downward trend since August, and these margins have been at some of their lowest October and November levels in the past five years.
(Wed, 21 Nov 2018) Heading into the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, U.S. retail regular-grade gasoline averaged $2.61 per gallon (gal), up 4 cents/gal from the same time last year. This year marks the highest gasoline price for the Monday before the Thanksgiving holiday weekend since 2013.
(Wed, 21 Nov 2018) The futures market value of natural storage remained low throughout the 2018 injection season, contributing to current low inventory levels.
(Wed, 21 Nov 2018) EIA dashboard shows a strengthening relationship between natural gas storage activity and near-month natural gas futures prices.
(Tue, 20 Nov 2018) Hourly electricity usage on Thanksgiving and the following day (Black Friday) tend to have different demand patterns from other weekdays. On a typical weekday in November, electricity usage tends to have two peaks: a morning peak and a slightly higher evening peak. On Thanksgiving, electricity demand tends to be highest late morning, as families cook meals and gather to celebrate the holiday. And because most businesses are closed, overall electricity demand on Thanksgiving Day tends to be lower.
(Thu, 15 Nov 2018) Working natural gas in underground storage in the Lower 48 states as of October 31, 2018, totaled 3,208 billion cubic feet (Bcf), according to interpolated data from EIAâs <em>Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report</em> released on November 8. Inventory levels for the Lower 48 states and in each of the U.S. natural gas regions ended the refill season at their lowest levels since October 2005, and these levels were considerably lower than their previous five-year averages.
