China’s Plan to Win Friends and Influence Includes Ski Slopes and Spas
The Belt and Road Initiative is widely seen as a push to develop geopolitical ties through infrastructure and ports. Companies are using it for more frivolous projects, too.
U.S. fuel ethanol production capacity continues to increase
(Wed, 01 Aug 2018) Fuel ethanol production capacity in the United States reached more than 16 billion gallons per year, or 1.06 million barrels per day (b/d), at the beginning of 2018, according to EIA's most recent U.S. Fuel Ethanol Plant Production Capacity report. Total listed, or nameplate capacity, of operable ethanol plants increased by 5%âmore than 700 million gallons per yearâbetween January 2017 and January 2018.
Electricity Reliability Council of Texas surpassed all-time peak hourly load in July
(Tue, 31 Jul 2018) On July 18, 2018, electricity demand in the area served by the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) reached a new all-time hourly peak load of 72,192 megawatts (MW) during the hour starting at 4:00 p.m. That record was itself surpassed the following day during the hour starting at 5:00 p.m., with load reaching 73,259 MW. The previous record of 71,111 MW occurred on August 11, 2016. Despite some sporadic power outages, ERCOT managed this new record demand without any widespread loss of load to the system.
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Beef, Pork and Poultry Salad and Wrap Products due to Concerns about Contamination with Cyclospora
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert out of an abundance of caution due to concerns about contamination with Cyclospora.
Ahead of Asia Trip, Business Lobby Gives Pompeo an Earful on Trade War
As Asian nations move away from the United States and its trade war with China, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce warned of fallout for American firms.
In 2016, U.S. energy expenditures per unit GDP were the lowest since at least 1970
(Mon, 30 Jul 2018) U.S. energy expenditures declined for the fifth consecutive year, reaching $1.0 trillion in 2016, a 9% decrease in real terms from 2015. Adjusted for inflation, total energy expenditures in 2016 were the lowest since 2003. Expressed as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP), total energy expenditures were 5.6% in 2016, the lowest since at least 1970.
The Week in Tech: Inequality Rising
Why the week’s most important technology story involved the tragic slaying of a young woman at a train station in San Francisco’s East Bay.
U.S. distillate fuel inventories are low for this time of year
(Fri, 27 Jul 2018) Inventories of distillate fuel, a category that includes both diesel and home heating oil, were 117.7 million barrels at the end of June, the lowest end-of-June level since 2004. Distillate inventories have generally been lower than the previous five-year (2013–2017) average throughout 2018. Relatively low inventory levels reflect growth in distillate consumption during 2018 that has not been fully offset by increased domestic refinery production or by lower net exports of distillate.
As a Dam Rises in Ethiopia, Its Manager Is Found Dead
The man overseeing an ambitious $4 billion dam project was found dead in Ethiopia’s capital early Thursday. The police said he had been shot in the head.
EIAâs Short-Term Energy Outlook adds natural gas and hydrocarbon gas liquids charts
(Thu, 26 Jul 2018) EIAâs <em>Short-Term Energy Outlook</em> (STEO) revised its standard set of figures in its July 2018 publication. To provide more clarity on changing natural gas and hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGL) markets, two new natural gas figures and four new HGL figures are now included with the monthly forecast. Many of the figures previously included in STEO have been redesigned.