EIA: Scheduled 2015 utilities capacity additions will be mostly wind and natural gas Natural Gas Replacing Coal The Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects electrical generating companies to add more than 20 gigawatts (GW) of utility-scale generating capacity to the power grid in 2015. An estimated 91% of those new additions (18.2 GW) will come from a combination of wind (9.8
The EIA’s weekly coal report shows production has fallen 14% The Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) weekly coal production report for the week ended February 21, 2015, shows continued declines in coal production in the United States. According to the report, estimated U.S. coal production totaled approximately 16.5 million short tons (mmst), about 14% lower than last week’s estimate and 13.3%
Coal stockpiles are improving after being depleted by cold weather and rail problems last year. Coal stockpiles increased by more than 12 million tons in October 2014, the largest build since 2011, reports the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Stockpiles at electric power plants totaled 136 million tons at the end of October, lower than in recent years for that
Private Equity Partnership Announced to Construct NatGas Power Plant Energy Investors Funds (EIF), an energy-focused private equity firm, and I Squared Capital, an independent global infrastructure investment manager, announced that they have formed an equity partnership to construct the Oregon Clean Energy Center (OCEC), a greenfield 869 megawatt combined-cycle fired generation facility to be located in Oregon, Ohio. EIF, through
Despite shrinking domestic numbers, demand for coal is growing internationally Recent years have been difficult for the coal industry in the United States. James River Coal Co. (ticker: JRCCQ) laid off a quarter of its workers, and Consol Energy Inc. (ticker: CNX), another major player in the coal industry, sold off five Appalachian mines to privately held Murray Energy, representing
Surprise: The EIA predicts more coal will be used to generate electricity this year than in 2013. But they believe coal’s downtrend will resume in 2015. In 2013, 39.1% of U.S. power was generated by burning coal. In 2014 that will increase to 39.8%, but will fall to 38.7% in 2015, the EIA said. Natural gas fueled 27.4% of U.S.
U.S. coal exports continued to decline from record volumes in 2012, according to an EIA report out today. In the first half of 2014, U.S. coal exports were at 52.3 million short tons (MMst), down 16% from the export levels in the first half of 2013. The EIA attributes the drop to reduced demand for steam coal from Europe and
China is the world’s largest consumer of coal. According to the EIA, almost 70% of the energy China used in 2011 came from coal. However, China announced last year that it plans to cut back on coal in favor of cleaner forms of energy. Chinese Premier Li Kequiang said, “China will wage war against smog weather,” CCTV, a Chinese news organization,
It was a cold, rainy day in downtown Denver when an Oil & Gas 360® reporter was greeted in the bathroom at the EPA office building: “Lovely weather out there, huh? Even God’s saying there’s a carbon problem!” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in June that its stated goal is to reduce U.S. carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent by 2030.
On January 17, 2008, President Obama said, “If someone wants to build a coal power plant, they can, it’s just that it will bankrupt them…” That promise is coming into fruition now. Last month, the EPA revealed its Clean Power Plan, which aims to lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 30% by 2030, in relation to levels from 2005. The
On June 2, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) moved to the second phase of its Clean Power Plan. According to the EPA, the Plan “cuts carbon pollution from existing power plants, the single largest source of carbon pollution in the United States. Today’s proposal will protect public health, move the United States toward a cleaner environment and fight climate change
Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR) announced plans on August 27, 2013, to close and decommission its Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vernon, Vermont. The station is expected to cease power production after its current fuel cycle and move to safe shutdown in the fourth quarter of 2014. The station will remain under the oversight of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission throughout
