Weather events have reduced our forecast of U.S. hydropower generation by 6% this year

Weather events in the U.S. Northwest this past spring and summer led to lower water supply, prompting us to reduce our forecast of U.S. hydropower generation by 6% this year compared with last year. More »

Southern California working natural gas storage increases with higher cap at Aliso Canyon

On August 31, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted to increase working natural gas storage by 67% to 68.6 billion cubic feet (Bcf) at Aliso Canyon, which increased the Southern California Gas Company's (SoCalGas) total working natural gas storage to about 120 Bcf. Aliso Canyon is California's largest underground natural gas storage facility and is located northwest of Los Angeles. The CPUC approved the storage capacity increase at Aliso Canyon to avoid potential energy price increases and enhance reliability for the upcoming 2023–24 winter. More »

Kuwait's oil exports shift from crude oil to petroleum products

Kuwait's oil exports are shifting from crude oil to refined petroleum products following the addition of new refining capacity, according to data in our recently updated Country Analysis Brief: Kuwait. In June and July 2023, Kuwait exported more than 1 million barrels per day (b/d) of petroleum products and liquified petroleum gas, the highest volume of products the country has exported. By contrast, crude oil exports averaged about 1.6 million b/d in June and July, down from an average of 1.8 million b/d in the same period of 2022. More »

OPEC+ production cuts drive up sour crude oil price around the world

Crude oil production cuts among OPEC+ members are limiting the global supply of medium, sour and heavy, sour grades of crude oil. These cuts are increasing prices for these grades compared with sweet crude oils, reversing typical price relationships. More »

Ecuador has continued to expand use of hydroelectric power

Hydropower has played a key and growing role in Ecuador’s electricity mix by displacing fossil fuels and helping meet higher domestic electricity demand. In 2011, hydroelectric power accounted for 55% of the country’s electricity mix, and electricity from fossil fuels accounted for 43%. In 2021, hydropower produced 79% of Ecuador’s electricity, and fossil fuels produced less than 20%. More »

The United States surpassed two million on-road light-duty electric vehicles in 2021

In 2021, the number of U.S. registered light-duty electric vehicles (EV) on the roads reached 2.13 million vehicles, a sharp increase from the less than 100,000 EVs on the roads in 2012, according to our Monthly Energy Review. More »