(Tue, 17 Jul 2018) Lava flows from the Kilauea volcano on the island of Hawaii led to the shutdown of the Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) power plant on May 3, 2018. The 38-megawatt (MW) facility is the only geothermal plant on the island, and it produced about 29% of the islandâs electricity generation in 2017. The plant voluntarily ceased operations ahead of the approaching lava flow.
(Mon, 16 Jul 2018) As of January 1, 2018, U.S. operable atmospheric crude distillation capacity totaled 18.6 million barrels per calendar day (b/cd), a slight decrease of 0.1% since the beginning of 2017 according to EIAâs annual <em>Refinery Capacity Report</em>. Annual operable crude oil distillation unit (CDU) capacity had increased slightly in each of the five years before 2018.
(Mon, 16 Jul 2018) South Korea, which lacks domestic energy reserves, ranks among the worldâs top five importers of liquefied natural gas, coal, and petroleum and other liquids. Despite its lack of resources, South Korea has some of the most advanced oil refineries in the world, and its companies have investments in overseas oil and natural gas assets.
A 6.7 percent expansion rate comes amid signs that Beijing’s efforts to tame debt, the trade dispute with the U.S. and other problems are taking a toll.
(Fri, 13 Jul 2018) U.S. exports of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), a motor gasoline additive, totaled 38,000 barrels per day (b/d) in 2017, primarily to Mexico, Chile, and Venezuela. MTBE was once commonly used in the United States but was phased out in the late 2000s as a result of water contamination concerns. Since then, fuel ethanol has replaced MTBE as a gasoline additive.
(Thu, 12 Jul 2018) Between 2010 and 2016, the capacity-weighted average cost (real 2016$) of U.S. wind installations declined by one-third, from $2,361 per kilowatt (kW) to $1,587/kW, based on analysis in the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energyâs (DOE/EERE) <em>Wind Technology Market Report</em>. The reasons for this decline include improving technology and manufacturing capability and an increasing concentration of builds in the regions of the United States with the lowest installation costs.
(Wed, 11 Jul 2018) EIAâs July 2018 <em>Short-Term Energy Outlook</em> (STEO) expects natural gas-fired power plants to supply 37% of U.S. electricity generation this summer (June, July, and August), near the record-high natural gas-fired generation share in summer 2016. EIA forecasts the share of generation from coal-fired power plants will drop slightly to 30% in summer 2018, continuing a multi-year trend of lower coal-fired electricity generation.
(Tue, 10 Jul 2018) In recent years, as its domestic energy consumption has grown, China has become a more significant destination for U.S. energy exports. In particular, China has been among the largest importers of U.S. exports of crude oil, propane, and liquefied natural gas.
(Mon, 09 Jul 2018) EIA has added existing, retired, and proposed power plants in Puerto Rico to its <em>Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory</em>. This EIA report includes generating units at power plants with a combined nameplate capacity of one megawatt (MW) or greater.
(Tue, 03 Jul 2018) Fossil fuelsâpetroleum, natural gas, and coalâhave accounted for at least 80% of energy consumption in the United States for well over a century. The fossil fuel share of total U.S. energy consumption in 2017 was the lowest share since 1902, at a little more than 80%, as U.S. fossil fuel consumption decreased for the third consecutive year.
