In 2019, the average monthly electricity bill for residential customers in the United States was 1.8% lower than it had been in 2018, down from $118 to $115 per month. Although the average U.S. residential electricity price rose from 12.87 cents per kilowatthour (kWh) in 2018 to 13.01 cents/kWh in 2019, less-than-average monthly electricity consumption […]
Category: Today in Energy
Petroleum stocks at Northeast power plants have not changed much in recent years
In much of the United States, power plants that burn petroleum liquids are generally operated for short periods during times of peak electricity demand, such as during brief periods of cold winter weather. These plants maintain petroleum inventories so that they are ready to dispatch electricity when it’s needed. Petroleum plays an important role in […]
In California, natural gas helps balance changes in electricity demand and solar output
In California wholesale electricity markets, natural gas-fired electricity generation helps to balance fluctuations in electricity demand with daily cycles in solar-powered electricity generation. Natural gas and solar are the two most prevalent sources of electricity generation in California; however, solar generation is non-dispatchable. Grid operators in the state use natural gas and, to a lesser […]
U.S. petroleum refining capacity falls to its lowest level since May 2016
As of September 1 (the latest data available), the United States had 18.4 million barrels per calendar day (b/cd) of petroleum refining capacity, also known as operable atmospheric crude oil distillation capacity. U.S. refining capacity had reached a record high of nearly 19.0 million b/cd earlier this year, but several refineries have closed since then […]
Natural gas venting and flaring in North Dakota and Texas increased in 2019
The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) 2020 Natural Gas Annual reports that the volume of U.S. natural gas that was vented and flared in 2019 was 1.48 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), a record high annual average. The percentage of U.S. natural gas that was vented and flared in 2019 increased to 1.3% of […]
EIA expects U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to fall 11% in 2020
In 2020, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the U.S. energy sector could be 11% lower than in 2019, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data through August and EIA estimates for September through December. According to values published in EIA’s December Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), EIA expects CO2 emissions in 2020 to fall by […]
California was the largest net electricity importer of any state in 2019
Electricity routinely flows between the Lower 48 states and, to a lesser extent, between the United States and Canada and Mexico. Electricity generation exceeds electricity consumption in 25 states, and excess electricity is transmitted across state lines—almost 10% of U.S. electricity generation is traded among states. In 2019, California’s net electricity imports were the largest […]
Natural gas-fired generation has increased in most U.S. regions since 2015
Natural gas-fired generation has generally increased in most U.S. regions since 2015, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Power Plant Operations Report. Annual electricity generation from natural gas power plants in the United States increased by 31% in the Northeast region, by 20% in the Central region, and by 17% in […]
Commercial buildings have gotten larger in the United States, with implications for energy
Commercial buildings have gotten larger in the United States as their floorspace continues to grow faster than the number of commercial buildings, according to preliminary results from the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) 2018 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS). CBECS estimates that 5.9 million U.S. commercial buildings contained a total of 97 billion square […]
The capacity of U.S. coal mines has fallen 28% since its 2009 peak
The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest Annual Coal Report (ACR) shows that U.S. coal mining productive capacity, or the maximum amount of coal that mines can produce in a year, totaled 1,009 million short tons (MMst) in 2019. This amount represents a 28% decrease from the peak productive coal mine capacity of 1,407 MMst […]