Natural gas combined-cycle power plants increased utilization with improved technology

The average utilization rate (or capacity factor) for the entire U.S. fleet of combined-cycle natural gas turbine (CCGT) electric power plants has risen as the operating efficiency of new CCGT units has improved. The CCGT capacity factor rose from 40% in 2008 to 57% in 2022. Increased efficiency improved the competitiveness of newer CCGT units […]

Less than one-third of U.S. commercial buildings were all-electric in 2018

Fewer than one-third of U.S. commercial buildings were all-electric in 2018, and all-electric commercial buildings were most prevalent in the South, according to data from our Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS). As of 2018, 31%, or 1.8 million commercial buildings, were all-electric nationwide.

Northeast U.S. carbon dioxide emissions prices return to last year’s highs

The most recent auction of carbon dioxide CO2 emissions allowances in the major U.S. northeast regional trading hub reached near record-high prices, as the number of allowances available was reduced. The latest Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) quarterly auction, held September 6, 2023, resulted in a clearing price of $13.85 per ton for CO2 emissions […]

Global natural gas market well supplied for winter, but risks remain, EIA analysis finds

Relatively full natural gas inventories in the United States and Europe and expanded global liquefied natural gas (LNG) export and import capacity have improved the likelihood that global gas supply is sufficient to meet demand in the 2023–24 winter season (November–March), according to our recently released Winter 2023–24 Global LNG Analysis. But extreme weather and […]

LNG export capacity from North America likely to more than double through 2027

We expect North America’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity to expand to 24.3 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) from 11.4 Bcf/d today as Mexico and Canada place their first LNG export terminals into service and the United States adds to its existing LNG capacity. By the end of 2027, we estimate LNG export […]

EIA Product Highlight: Status of U.S. Nuclear Outages

Every morning, each nuclear electricity generator in the United States reports its operating status to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The NRC compiles this information in its Power Reactor Status Report, and we present that information in interactive visualizations on our Status of Nuclear Outages page. Our analysis tool combines the NRC daily status with […]

EU sanctions on Russia�s coal increase U.S. coal exports to Europe

U.S. coal exports increased by 5.7 million short tons (MMst) in the 12 months after EU sanctions on coal from Russia went into full effect in August 2022. The increase was driven almost exclusively by a 22% jump in U.S. coal exports to Europe, totaling 33.1 MMst between August 2022 and July 2023 compared with […]

Growing U.S. oil production increased natural gas production by 9% in 2022

In 2022, annual production of associated-dissolved natural gas (or associated natural gas) increased 9% to 15.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in the major U.S. onshore crude oil-producing regions, mostly due to an 8% increase in crude oil production. Associated natural gas accounted for more than a third of total natural gas production in […]