Author: US Energy Information Administration

Battery Storage Applications Shifting As More Batteries Added To U.S. Grid

The ability of utility-scale batteries to draw energy from the grid during certain periods and discharge it to the grid at other periods creates opportunities for electricity dispatch optimization strategies based on system or economic conditions. According to our Annual Electric Generator Report, most utility-scale (greater than 1 megawatt [MW] … [continued]

Two Nuclear Power Plants in Northern Illinois Reversed Plans to Retire Early

Exelon, the owner-operator of Illinois’s six nuclear power plants, recently announced that the Byron and Dresden nuclear plants will continue operating rather than retire this fall as previously planned. The announcement came after the Illinois state legislature and governor approved a clean energy bill supporting carbon-free energy resources. Illinois Senate Bill … [continued]

U.S. EIA Projects That Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions Will Rise Over The Next 30 Years

In our International Energy Outlook 2021, we project that global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will increase for countries both inside and outside of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) over the next 30 years under current laws and regulations. Between 2020 and 2050, we project that total energy-related … [continued]

U.S. EIA Projects Nearly 50% Increase in World Energy Use by 2050, Led by Growth…

In our International Energy Outlook 2021 (IEO2021) Reference case, we project that, absent significant changes in policy or technology, global energy consumption will increase nearly 50% over the next 30 years. Although petroleum and other liquid fuels will remain the world’s largest energy source in 2050, renewable energy sources, which include solar … [continued]

Forecast: U.S. Hydropower Generation to Decline 14% in 2021 Due to Drought

In our latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), we forecast that electricity generation from U.S. hydropower plants will be 14% lower in 2021 than it was in 2020. Extreme and exceptional drought conditions have been affecting much of the western United States, especially California and states in the Pacific Northwest, which are home … [continued]

Iran’s Crude Oil Production Fell To An Almost 40-Year Low In 2020

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) June 2021 In 2020, Iran produced less than 2 million barrels per day (b/d) of crude oil, an almost 40-year low in Iran’s production levels according to our analysis, which we updated in July. Several factors contributed to Iran’s low crude oil production in 2020, … [continued]

Renewables Became 2nd Most Prevalent U.S. Electricity Source in 2020

In 2020, renewable energy sources (including wind, hydroelectric, solar, biomass, and geothermal energy) generated a record 834 billion kilowatthours (kWh) of electricity, or about 21% of all the electricity generated in the United States. Only natural gas (1,617 billion kWh) produced more electricity than renewables in the United States in 2020. Renewables surpassed both nuclear (790 … [continued]