Residential propane prices start winter heating season at highest level since 2011

The average U.S. residential price of propane reached $2.59 per gallon (gal) as of October 4, 2021, the highest price reported for the first week of the winter heating season since 2011, according to our Heating Oil and Propane Update (HOPU). The winter heating season runs from October through March. Prices during the first four weeks of the current winter heating season were 49% higher than the same time last winter. More »

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. More »

U.S. consumers expected to spend more for heating oil this upcoming winter

In our latest Winter Fuels Outlook, we expect higher heating oil prices and a slightly colder winter compared with last year will contribute to households across the United States spending more on heating this winter (October–March) compared with the past two winters. More »

EIA projects global conventional vehicle fleet will peak in 2038

In our International Energy Outlook 2021, we estimate the global light-duty vehicle (LDV) fleet contained 1.31 billion vehicles in 2020, and we project this fleet will grow to 2.21 billion vehicles by 2050. We project electric vehicles (EVs)—any LDV with a charging plug—will grow from 0.7% of the global LDV fleet in 2020 to 31% in 2050, reaching 672 million vehicles. Significant growth in EV sales and shares of sales through the projection period results in the global conventional gasoline and diesel LDV fleet peaking in 2038. More »

EIA forecasts U.S. winter natural gas bills will be 30% higher than last winter

In our latest Winter Fuels Outlook, we forecast that U.S. households that primarily use natural gas for space heating will spend an average of $746 on heating this winter (October–March), which is $172, or 30%, more than last year. More »

U.S. consumers likely to pay more for propane heating during the upcoming winter

In our October Winter Fuels Outlook, we expect U.S. households that primarily heat with propane will spend more this heating season (October through March) than during the past several winters because of higher propane prices and slightly colder temperatures compared with last winter. More »

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 CO2 emissions will increase by 5% (600 million metric tons) in OECD countries (which generally have slowly growing economies) and by 35% (8 billion metric tons) in non-OECD countries (which generally have rapidly growing economies). More »

EIA projects non-OECD Asia to become the largest importers of natural gas by 2050

In our International Energy Outlook 2021 (IEO2021), we project that non-OECD countries in Asia will collectively become the largest importers of natural gas by 2050. In 2020, the countries of OECD Europe were collectively the largest importers of natural gas, followed by Japan and South Korea combined, and then non-OECD Asia, which includes China and India. More »

Drilling and completion improvements support Permian Basin hydrocarbon production

The Permian Basin, which spans western Texas and eastern New Mexico, represents the most prolific hydrocarbon production region in the United States. They accounted for about 30% of U.S. crude oil production and 14% of U.S. natural gas production (measured as gross withdrawals) in 2020. Technology innovations, such as longer lateral wells and multi-well pad drilling, has helped reduce costs and increase productivity in developing oil and natural gas resources in the Permian Basin. More »

Annual U.S. coal-fired electricity generation will increase for the first time since 2014

We expect 22% more U.S. coal-fired generation in 2021 than in 2020, according to our latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO). The U.S. electric power sector has been generating more electricity from coal-fired power plants this year as a result of significantly higher natural gas prices and relatively stable coal prices. This year, 2021, will yield the first year-over-year increase in coal generation in the United States since 2014. More »

Renewables will account for most global generation increases, but coal use remains high

In the Reference case of our International Energy Outlook 2021 (IEO2021), where we assume current laws and regulations continue into the future, we project that renewable resources—particularly solar and wind—will be the largest contributor to the growth in electricity generation through 2050. However, certain regions will still mainly use coal resources for electricity generation. More »

U.S. natural gas prices likely to remain elevated through the winter

In our October Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), we forecast that natural gas spot prices at the U.S. benchmark Henry Hub will average $5.67 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) between October and March, the highest winter price since 2007–2008. The increase in Henry Hub prices in recent months and in our forecast reflect below-average storage levels heading into the winter heating season and strong demand for U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG), even though we've seen relatively slow growth in U.S. natural gas production. We expect Henry Hub prices will decrease after the first quarter of 2022, as production growth outpaces growth in LNG exports, and will average $4.01/MMBtu for the year. More »

EIA expects U.S. households to spend more on energy this winter

In our Winter Fuels Outlook, to be released later today, we forecast that U.S. households will spend more money on energy this winter than last winter, especially households that primarily heat with propane or heating oil. Forecast expenditures are based on our expectations of high retail energy prices—many are already at multiyear highs—and of slightly more energy consumption per household than in the previous winter. Notably, many energy prices reached multiyear lows last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. More »

Azerbaijan has increased natural gas production and added a connection to Europe

Azerbaijan, a Eurasian country at the border of Eastern Europe and western Asia, increased its production of natural gas by 36%, or more than 200 billion cubic feet (Bcf), between 2017 and 2019. In addition, a new pipeline connection, completed in October 2020, increased the country’s access to European markets, according to our analysis of Azerbaijan’s energy sector. More »

U.S. gasoline exports in May, June, and July reach new seasonal highs

Motor gasoline exports from the United States reached record highs in May, June, and July for each of these months, according to our Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM). Summer exports in May, June, and July reflect a departure from the historical seasonality of gasoline exports because gasoline export levels are usually low during the summer. More »

EIA projects nearly 50% increase in world energy use by 2050, led by growth in renewables

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 and wind, will grow to nearly the same level. More »

EIA projects accelerating renewable consumption and steady liquid fuels growth to 2050

Today at 10 a.m., we are releasing our International Energy Outlook 2021 (IEO2021). In the IEO2021 Reference case, which assumes current laws and regulations, we project that strong economic growth and growing populations will drive increases in global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption through 2050. Much of the increase in energy consumption will be met with liquid fuels and renewable energy sources. Natural gas- and coal-fired generation technologies as well as the emerging use of batteries will also prompt increased consumption. More »

A change in China's tax policy is affecting Asia's petroleum product trade

In June of this year, China implemented a new consumption tax policy that affects imports of two fuels: mixed aromatics, which were blended into gasoline, and light cycle oil, which was blended into diesel. These components were previously exempt from China's consumption tax. This new policy has reduced China's imports of these products and its exports of petroleum products. More »

By 2018, LEDs had become the second-most common lighting in U.S. commercial buildings

According to our 2018 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS), LED lightbulbs had become the second-most common type of lightbulb in commercial buildings. LED bulbs were reported in 9% of commercial buildings in 2012, but they were reported in 44% of commercial buildings in 2018. The prevalence of all other bulb types decreased between 2012 and 2018. More »

Capacity outages at U.S. nuclear power plants averaged 3.1 gigawatts this summer

Daily capacity outages at U.S nuclear power plants averaged 3.1 gigawatts (GW) during the summer of 2021 (June 1 through August 31), 22% less than the 4.0 GW average in summer 2020. Nuclear capacity outages were lowest in August, when they averaged 1.7 GW for the month. More »