Indiana's BP Refinery restarts following severe flooding
IIR, a monitor of the industry, said that BP's Whiting refinery, which produces 440,000 barrels per day, is in the process to restart after flooding disrupted operations earlier in the week. The units will take several days for them to ramp up, IIR added. IIR stated that the facility will be running at full capacity by early next week. The refinery…
Maguire: US clean energy capacity grows slower, but wider by 2025
This year, the pace of adding new solar, wind, and battery capacity in the U.S. has slowed down nationally and in some key states, which is hurting sentiment for clean energy. Climate trackers should take heart in the fact that growth has continued outside of Texas and California. According to data collected by the energy data platform Cleanview by mid-2025…
Enbridge Sees Demand for More Pipeline Capacity from Canada to US Gulf
Canadian pipeline operator Enbridge said on Friday its recent commercial process to gauge oil shippers' interest in an expansion of its Flanagan South pipeline was oversubscribed, indicating strong demand for additional oil transport capacity from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast.The success of the Flanagan South open season — an industry term for the…
Trump's budget cuts threaten U.S. jobs in renewable energy
By Carey L. Labor leaders claim that federal tax credits under the former president Joe Biden for green energy production and construction have created an influx of new jobs - inspiring young workers to participate in the U.S. transition towards energy in a rapidly aging sector. "We were slammed, pretty much full employment. Everyone was making plenty money…
Utility Vistra buys natural gas assets worth $1.9 billion for power needs
Vistra, a utility, announced on Thursday that it will acquire seven natural-gas generation facilities with a combined power of 2,600 megawatts from Lotus Infrastructure Partners, for $1.9 billion. The move is part of its efforts to meet the growing demand for electricity. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, electricity consumption…
US EPA delays Midwest ethanol expansion South Dakota, Ohio
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on Friday that it will delay by one year the expansion of sales of higher ethanol blended gasoline in South Dakota, Ohio and the other eight Midwestern States who requested increased sales. The EPA released a statement on Friday following its decision made last week that it would implement the April…
Oil trade group calls for national ethanol policy in the US after EPA approves Midwest expansion
The American Petroleum Institute, a trade group, pushed for a national policy on gasoline blends with higher ethanol levels on Monday after President Donald Trump’s administration announced on Friday that it would expand sales of this product in certain Midwestern States. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on February 21 that it would…
WEC Energy's quarterly profit increases as it expands its data center services
WEC Energy Group announced on Tuesday a profit that more than doubled during the fourth quarter. The electric utility benefited from lower operating costs and higher revenues as it expanded its service to Microsoft data centers. U.S. energy companies, like Milwaukee's WEC Energy, are embracing the rise in demand for electricity due to the proliferation of AI data centres and the electrification or buildings and industries.
US PJM electricity demand hits preliminary winter records during winter freeze
PJM Interconnection, a power grid operator in the United States, said on Wednesday that it had set a preliminary winter record with a peak load exceeding 145,000 megawatts. It also exported 8,000 MW due to extreme cold across the country. This record is higher than the previous one of 143.700 MW, set in February 2015. Data verification will be conducted by PJM.
US NatGas Demand Could Hit Record High
U.S. spot natural gas and power prices soared to multi-year highs in several parts of the country with extreme cold expected to boost gas demand to a daily record high on Tuesday.Extreme weather has created havoc for power and gas markets in recent years as demand has come close to outpacing supply.In February 2021, a freeze in Texas killed more than 200 people and left millions without power…
The demand for US natgas is expected to reach a record high on Tuesday
The U.S. demand for natural gas is expected to hit a record on Tuesday as the extreme cold that has affected much of America puts pressure on power grids, and certain oil and gas operations. Last week, the February natural gas contract reached its highest price since December 30, 2022. The cold weather that accompanied the weekend had the potential to reduce output due to the freezing of gas wells and pipelines.
Corn prices surge, triggering a wave of sales by US farmers
Iowa farmer Caleb Hamer picked up his phone this week and called a local buyer of corn, eager to get his grain sold as the prices rose to their highest levels in over a year. Grain dealers in Iowa Illinois Indiana and Nebraska reported that farmers across the Midwest increased crop sales after corn and soybean futures spiked on Friday when the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut its harvest estimate for 2024.
Winter storms in the US could lead to power outages and a reduction of natgas supplies
According to energy analysts, the next few weeks could see massive power outages across the U.S. and a spike in natural gas demand. As a result of the "freeze offs" of oil and gas pipes and wells, the demand for gas is expected to increase. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, gas is responsible for 43% of America's electricity generation and 45% of its homes are heated by it.
Biden team offers nuclear pathway to hydrogen tax credit
Biden's administration announced on Friday that portions of nuclear power plant will be eligible for tax credits in order to produce clean hydrogen, if these credits prevent the reactors from being retired. The new rules deal with one of the most controversial issues in the Inflation Reduction Act. This law, which is set to be implemented by 2022…
US Awards up to $2.2 Billion to Speed Clean-hydrogen Development
The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Wednesday that it had awarded up to $2 billion to centers in the Gulf Coast and the Midwest for the development of hydrogen, a new source of energy which is costly to produce with renewable power. Hydrogen supporters, such as the administration of Joe Biden believe that low carbon hydrogen can combat climate change by fueling industries like aluminum…
Grid operator PJM faces a new complaint regarding power supply
Consumer advocacy group filed a complaint with PJM Interconnection. They claim that the U.S.'s largest grid operator unfairly awards record-high payments to power plants, driving up electricity prices for households and businesses. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission received a complaint on Monday, the second in recent times regarding PJM Interconnection’s capacity market auction for 2025-2026.
US Governors push back against PJM following record-high prices for power plants
Five governors urged PJM Interconnection on Tuesday to change its process for determining the price of power plants, after the auction that saw record prices. Prices in the most recent PJM auction were almost 10 times higher than last year. This was largely due to a shrinking supply of electricity and an increasing demand for electricity. Prices were…
ADM accused for misconduct and lack of safety inspections following explosion that injured US worker
Archer-Daniels-Midland Co intentionally failed to test and maintain safety systems on its grain equipment for years, which contributed to an explosion that immolated a worker and put him in a coma last year, according to a lawsuit filed against the company. The explosion is part of a series of safety incidents that have occurred at ADM's facilities in Decatur (Illinois), the North American headquarters of this global grain trader.
Maguire: Slow rollout of charge points could stall US EV sales momentum
The United States has seen a 140% increase in electric vehicle sales since 2023. However, further growth could be hindered if public charging stations are not rolled out more evenly and at a slower pace. According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, U.S. electric vehicle registrations will reach just over 3.5 millions by September 2024. This is…
Maguire: Slow rollout of charge points could stall US EV sales momentum
The United States has seen a 140% increase in electric vehicle sales since 2023. However, further growth could be hindered if public charging stations are not rolled out more evenly and at a slower pace. According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, U.S. electric vehicle registrations will reach just over 3.5 millions by September 2024. This is…