EIA forecasts continued biomass-based diesel growth due to final 2017 RFS targets

(Tue, 13 Dec 2016) On November 23, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its final rule for the 2017 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program year, with higher targets than those initially proposed in May. EPA increased both the advanced biofuels and total renewable fuel targets while keeping the cellulosic biofuel and biomass-based diesel targets unchanged.

Winter residential electricity consumption expected to increase from last winter

(Mon, 12 Dec 2016) EIA’s <em>Short-Term Energy Outlook</em> (STEO) projects that the average residential customer will consume 4% more electricity over December through March compared with the same period last winter. However, this forecast is highly dependent on winter temperatures. If temperatures are warmer than expected, as they have been the past two months, average electricity use could be slightly below that of the previous winter.

Monthly Densified Biomass Fuel Report

(Mon, 12 Dec 2016) This is the first Densified Biomass Fuel Report resulting from a new EIA survey launched in January 2016. The survey collects information on wood pellet and other densified biomass fuel production, sales, and inventory levels from approximately 90 operating pellet fuel manufacturing facilities in the United States. Facilities with an annual capacity of 10,000 tons or more per year are required to report monthly.

Mexico Country Analysis Brief

(Fri, 09 Dec 2016) Mexico is a major producer of petroleum and other liquids and is among the largest sources of U.S. oil imports, accounting for 9% of U.S. crude oil imports in 2015. While Mexico’s oil production has steadily decreased since 2005, they remain the fourth largest producer in the Americas after the United States, Canada and Brazil. While the petroleum sector’s role has significantly decreased in recent years, it still generated 6% of the country’s export earnings in 2015.

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