Enjoy it while it lasts When oil prices went from where ever they were to $100 and above, everybody said oil is expensive. Consumers and oil importers complained when it hit $115 in July 2014. Gradually, however, everyone got used to $100+ oil. In the past couple of months, oil prices have plunged, hitting low… Keep reading →
The way we power our homes is changing. Previously, we relied heavily on non-renewable sources for electricity and heating in our homes. While these fuels still play an important role, we’re continuing to look for greener alternatives. One popular option is solar panels. In the past, solar panels were expensive to buy and install, which… Keep reading →
Hi all, it’s your friendly neighborhood cartography and interactive graphics engineer here at Energy.gov. It’s been a fun year for us building maps and graphics that we hope have helped you explore new ideas (and age-old ones). Here are the top five maps and interactive graphics as selected by yours truly. 1) Space-Based Solar… Keep reading →
On December 18, President Barack Obama signed the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 (UFSA) into law. Passed by the Congress in response to Russia’s support of the pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine, it authorizes expanded sanctions on Russia and the provision of certain types of weapons to the government in Kiev. This new wave of potential sanctions places even more pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin amid dropping global oil prices and the fall in the value of the Russian ruble. On December 15, Russia’s central bank raised its key interest rate from 10.5 to 17 percent, the largest single increase since 1998 and the sixth increase this year.
The energy industry – oil & gas sector in particular – is bracing itself for a massive wave of retirements over the short to medium term, which has been dubbed “The Great Shift Change.” As the industry prepares for this turnover, companies are looking to the next generation of candidates with skills ranging from finance, geology,… Keep reading →
U.S. Household Gasoline Expenditures in 2015 On Track to Be Lowest in 11 Years EIA Today in Energy: The average U.S. household is expected to spend about $550 less on gasoline in 2015 compared with 2014, as annual motor fuel expenditures are on track to fall to their lowest level in 11 years. Lower fuel… Keep reading →
Christopher A. Smith Confirmed as Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy WASHINGTON – Christopher A. Smith was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday, December 16th, 2014, as the Department of Energy’s Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy. “Chris Smith’s depth of expertise and experience in the fossil energy field make him extremely well qualified for this position.… Keep reading →
Congress this week passed the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014, which extends a number of expired or expiring tax provisions through the end of 2014. The President is expected to sign the Act soon. The Act renews several energy-related tax provisions, including the production tax credit under Section 45 of the Internal Revenue Code (PTC) for certain renewable energy facilities. In the case of wind, geothermal, landfill gas, trash, marine, and hydrokinetic facilities and certain closed-loop biomass, open-loop biomass, and qualified hydropower facilities, a taxpayer will be eligible to claim the PTC if construction begins before January 1, 2015. The Act also extends Section 48(a)(5)(C), which allows a taxpayer to claim the investment tax credit in lieu of the PTC with respect to the facilities listed above if construction begins before January 1, 2015.
Understanding China’s domestic oil market is akin to following an opaque and moving target, but a new report by independent price reporting organization Platts highlights the changing dynamics of one area in the Chinese oil market that is most responsive to economic signals: China’s teakettle refiners. Playing Against Monopolies Monopolized by state-owned but publically listed… Keep reading →
Who wants to plunge deep into the dreary details of tax law, especially when doing so might get in the way of slapping a scarlet “B” for bailout on a renewable energy project? So it was that in the wake of our reporting on lower-than-expected production levels at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in… Keep reading →
