(Tue, 24 May 2016) Renewable electricity generation in Germany increased to 194 billion kilowatthours (kWh) in 2015, representing 31% of the country's gross electricity generation. The renewables electricity growth in 2015 was the largest in both percentage and absolute terms (19% and 32 billion kWh, respectively) in at least a decade.
(Mon, 23 May 2016) The United States remained the world's top producer of petroleum and natural gas hydrocarbons in 2015, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates. U.S. petroleum and natural gas production first surpassed Russia in 2012, and the United States has been the world's top producer of natural gas since 2011 and the world's top producer of petroleum hydrocarbons since 2013.
“The choice between good jobs and a healthy planet is a false dichotomy,” writes a reader.
(Fri, 20 May 2016) The western United States, particularly California, has experienced drought over the past several years, but there are now signs of improvement. Since June 2013, most of California has been in a severe, extreme, or exceptional drought, the worst three drought designations as determined by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
A company called Hyperloop proposes to build the world’s fastest train in California. But for now, there are more questions than answers.
(Thu, 19 May 2016) Natural gas-fired power generation increased 19% in 2015, because of low natural gas prices, increased gas-fired generation capacity, and coal power plant retirements. EIA's May 2016 Short-Term Energy Outlook forecasts that this year, natural gas-fired generation will exceed coal generation in the United States on an annual basis.
The damage from a fire that broke out beneath the railroad tracks in East Harlem continues to disrupt service; an official said trains would run on a Saturday schedule until Friday.
(Wed, 18 May 2016) Trends in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from electricity generation through 2040 depend significantly on whether or not the Clean Power Plan (CPP) rule issued last August by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is implemented. Analysis in EIA's <em>Annual Energy Outlook 2016</em> (AEO2016) examines what the CPP could mean for the fuels used to generate electricity, especially coal.
(Wed, 18 May 2016) Angola is the second-largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa. The country experienced an oil production boom between 2002 and 2008 when production started at several deepwater fields.
The tunnels that carry trains for Amtrak and New Jersey Transit have been decaying for years, and no one knows quite when they will be fixed.
