Originally published on US EIA. The transportation of people and goods accounts for about 25% of all energy consumption in the world. Passenger transportation, in particular light-duty vehicles, accounts for most transportation energy consumption—light-duty vehicles alone consume more than all freight modes of transportation, such as heavy trucks, marine, and … [continued]
Originally published by the US Energy Information Administration The number of new and reactivated coal mines that began production in 2013 fell to the lowest level in at least the past 10 years. The addition of 103 mines in 2013 came as 271 mines were idled or closed, resulting in … [continued]
Originally published on Today in Energy by JenAlyse Arena Coal production from mines with mountaintop removal (MTR) permits has declined since 2008, more than the downward trend in total U.S. coal production. Total U.S. coal production decreased about 15% from 2008 to 2014. Surface production decreased about 21%, and mountaintop removal, … [continued]
Originally published on EIA. Two states recently passed legislation that would require significant increases in renewable electricity generation. On June 8, Hawaii updated legislation setting a 100% renewable portfolio standard (RPS) by 2045. On June 11, Vermont passed a bill creating a 75% RPS by 2032. Both of these RPS … [continued]
Originally published on EIA. During the past few years, several models of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), including battery electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), have been introduced in the light-duty vehicle market. PEVs are limited by driving range, which is related to battery capacity, and can usually … [continued]
Originally published on EIA. In 2013, there were about 70,000 battery electric vehicles (EVs) and 104,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)—small numbers compared to around 226 million registered vehicles in the United States. Total U.S. sales of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) have increased in recent years, but still represent only … [continued]
US Energy Information Administration Principal Contributor: Fred Mayes Geothermal energy has been a small, but consistent, source of electricity in the United States since 1971, providing 0.4% of total U.S. generation in 2013. California is the site of most U.S. geothermal capacity, but since 2001 new geothermal capacity additions have increasingly … [continued]
On June 1, 2014, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) recorded a record midday hourly peak of 4,767 megawatts of alternating current (MWAC) of utility-generated solar electricity delivered into the California grid. With rapidly growing utility-scale solar capacity, CAISO has regularly recorded new hourly output records going back to 2010 … [continued]
At 8:48 p.m. on March 26, wind generation on the electric grid covering most of the state of Texas reached a new instantaneous peak output of 10,296 megawatts (MW). At that moment, wind supplied almost 29% of total electricity load, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the grid’s operator. … [continued]
Curtailments of wind generation on the Texas electric grid have steadily dropped since 2011 as more than 3,500 miles of transmission lines have been built, largely as a result of the state’s Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) program. Occurrences of wind-related negative real-time electricity prices have similarly declined as the CREZ transmission … [continued]
