The year ahead appears poised to be another wild ride for the energy sector. A recovering US economy combined with continued strength in China and India will send oil and coal prices toward highs not seen since 2008. Meanwhile, solar and wind power will become increasingly attractive investments and grow their share of Continue reading
Pump prices are about to hit $2.70 per gallon nationwide, and oil has remained above $70 per barrel for several days. Most of the increase has come on expectations of economic recovery – like today’s increase in projection for China’s 2009 growth to 7.2% rather than 6.5% by the World Bank. But even more positive economic news will struggle to increase prices much more unless fuel inventories fall from Continue reading
The US Energy Information Agency (EIA) has further lowered its emissions projection for 2009 this month, as I said in May was likely. Lower coal consumption drives the reduction, based on the drop in industrial demand for fuel and the substitution by natural gas for coal for Continue reading
As I wrote two months back would happen, the price of gasoline is catching up with diesel after a couple years of separation. A year ago, diesel would cost you 60 cents more than gasoline. But looking at the trends in pump prices over the last few days, parity should be reached by Continue reading
The prices of oil and natural gas appear to have bottomed now. But with inventories near record levels, a quick price spike much higher doesn’t seem sustainable in the short-term. Yesterday, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) weekly petroleum report clearly showed that recessionary low demand continues to dominate Continue reading
This past quarter was another tough one for the US economy. Industrial production sank to a record low in March below 70% of capacity. The resulting lower demand for fuels is sending storage levels toward record highs. The EIA reported this morning that natural gas rose another Continue reading
In February, I shared that the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicted lower greenhouse gas emissions from US energy consumption in 2009. Their earlier projection of ~2% lower emissions just shifted in their April report to a much lower Continue reading
For the first time since the last oil shock of the early 1980s, global greenhouse gas emissions are poised to fall significantly. The International Energy Agency (IEA) just released its monthly oil report within which they lowered oil demand projections by 1 million barrels per day (Mbd) from last month. Such a fall in consumption brings total demand down 2.4 Mbd (2.8%) from 2008 and translates into a fall in carbon emissions by Continue reading
Today’s EIA petroleum report shows that storage of all major petroleum products are now above average. Even the prospect of lower oil supplies from Mexico don’t threaten our situation through the summer. Higher oil prices the last few years drove a domestic drilling boom that is finally paying off through a substantial increase in US oil production. The question is, how long will Continue reading
Image from rushkoff.com
Sustainable Energy Transition (SET) will be featured in its first New York radio spot this coming Monday night 7-8pm. I will be interviewed live by new media and pop culture author and professor Douglas Rushkoff on his new show, The Media Squat. The interview will probably be around 10-15 minutes and in the first half of the show. So if you’re interested in hearing a voice connected to the blogs, Continue reading