(Tue, 06 Mar 2018) Estimated ethanol production margins at U.S. corn ethanol plants averaged 22 cents per gallon (gal) in 2017. Last year was the fifth consecutive year that margins have averaged more than 20 cents/gal, which has helped drive consistent ethanol production growth over that period.
(Tue, 06 Mar 2018) North Sea Brent crude oil spot prices averaged $65 per barrel (b) in February, a decrease of $4/b from the January level and the first month-over-month average decrease since June 2017. EIA forecasts Brent spot prices will average about $62/b in both 2018 and 2019 compared with an average of $54/b in 2017.
(Mon, 05 Mar 2018) South Sudan was officially recognized as an independent nation state in July 2011 following a referendum held in January 2011, when the South Sudanese voted overwhelmingly in favor of secession. Since the split, Sudan and South Sudanâs oil production has declined because of continued domestic political instability and conflict between the two countries.
(Mon, 05 Mar 2018) Nuclear electricity generation capacity in the Middle East is expected to increase from 3.6 gigawatts (GW) in 2018 to 14.1 GW by 2028 because of new construction starts and recent agreements between Middle East countries and nuclear vendors. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will lead near-term growth by installing 5.4 GW of nuclear capacity by 2020.
(Fri, 02 Mar 2018) Net imports of jet fuel into the West Coast have increased in recent years as regional jet fuel consumption has outpaced production. States in the West Coast region—those bordering the Pacific Ocean plus Nevada and Arizona—make up about 20% of the U.S. population but account for nearly a third of U.S. jet fuel consumption. Most of these jet fuel imports have come from refineries in Asia.
(Thu, 01 Mar 2018) EIA expects a 40% increase in natural gas consumed in the U.S. industrial sector, from 9.8 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 2017 to 13.7 quadrillion Btu in 2050, according to the <em>Annual Energy Outlook 2018</em> (AEO2018) Reference case. By 2020, industrial natural gas consumption will surpass the previous record set in the early 1970s, according to the AEO2018 Reference case.
(Wed, 28 Feb 2018) About two-thirds of utility-scale battery storage power capacity installed in 2016 in the United States is located in two electricity markets: the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which covers much of California, and the PJM Interconnection, which covers all or parts of 13 eastern states and the District of Columbia. Utility-scale battery systems have been installed in these markets for different reasons.
(Tue, 27 Feb 2018) This monthâs <em>Electric Monthly Update</em> report contains a feature article on how utility-scale electric batteries differ widely on their discharge duration.
(Tue, 27 Feb 2018) Most natural gas-fired power plants in the continental United States fulfill all of their fuel requirements through firm contracts that obligate the natural gas producer and the pipeline operator to send the natural gas to the power plant when requested. These power plants reported receiving 71% of the natural gas purchased by power plants in 2016.
(Mon, 26 Feb 2018) U.S. uranium concentrate production totaled 2.44 million pounds in 2017, down 16% from 2016 and the lowest annual total since 2.28 million pounds of uranium concentrate was produced in 2004. Domestic concentrate production peaked at 43.7 million pounds in 1980 but has remained below 5 million pounds annually since 1997.
