Latest news with #Littleton
Reuters
11 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Europe's dispatchable power woes worsen from fresh hydro hit: Maguire
LITTLETON, Colorado, June 5 (Reuters) - Europe's power generation mix looks set to get dirtier over the coming summer after an enduring dry spell depleted reservoirs and crimped hydro-electricity output. Hydro dams are Europe's third-largest electricity source after natural gas and nuclear plants, and historically reach their annual production peak just before summer as snow melt and spring rains recharge dams and river systems. That network of reservoirs and run-of-river hydro plants is then typically used as a key source of so-called dispatchable power, which can be discharged on command by grid operators to balance system power needs. This year, however, a lingering drought has hit hydro generation and cut hydro-powered electricity supplies by 13% over the first five months of 2025 from the year before, to the lowest level for the month of May since 2017, data from Ember shows. That shortfall of hydro output has in turn forced utilities to rely on other dispatchable power sources - including natural gas and coal plants - which may need to be deployed at even higher levels this summer if hydro output stays stunted. Below-normal snow cover across Europe's Alps has been a key source of the hydro headache this year. From January through the end of May, a model of snow-fed hydro generation potential by LSEG estimates that output from across the Alps region is roughly a third below the long-term average so far this year. Stunted spring rains have also hurt, with output generation potential across the Danube catchment area - one of Europe's main river-fed hydro networks - over 60% below normal, LSEG data shows. The combination of below-average snow cover and precipitation has led to a roughly 13% drop in cumulative hydro-powered electricity production over the January-to-May period from the same months in 2024, according to Ember. During May, the 71 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity generated from Europe's hydro plants was the lowest for the month of May since 2017, and was 11 TWh short of the output total during the same month a year ago. This year's January-to-May hydro-fed electricity output was 48.5 TWh less than the same period in 2024, which reduced hydro power's share of Europe's electricity generation mix to 16.7% so far this year from over 19% during the same months in 2024. To offset the drop in hydro generation, as well as a 36 TWh drop in cumulative output from Europe's wind farms so far this year, European power firms have had to boost fossil fuel power generation. Output from gas-fired power plants was 31 TWh, or 7%, above the January to May 2024 total, while output from coal-fired plants was 12.5 TWh, or 5%, higher, Ember data shows. Going forward, European utilities may need to crank coal and gas plant output higher still if hydro production remains constrained while power demand remains at average levels. Output from Europe's fleet of nuclear reactors can also be potentially increased to offset the decline in hydro plants. However, regional nuclear power output could also be constrained if the region's river temperatures rise during any potential heatwaves and reduce their ability to act as a source of cooling water in reactors. That means that Europe's network of gas and coal-fired power plants will likely remain the primary source of dispatchable generation through the coming summer, especially if the dry conditions that have prevailed so far this year drag on. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Colorado survivors gather to mark National Cancer Survivors Day with stories of hope, healing and community
More than 100 cancer survivors gathered at Fiddler's Green on Sunday morning to mark National Cancer Survivors Day with stories of hope, healing, and community. The annual event, themed Honoring Strength and Resilience, offered an opportunity for survivors to reconnect, celebrate their milestones, and pay tribute to those who supported them through their cancer journeys. Nancy Duncan gives Sarah Scannapieco a hug at the National Cancer Survivors Day event. CBS For Nancy Duncan, a Littleton resident, the celebration marked not just her survival, but a full-circle moment of gratitude and giving back. In 2022, Nancy was diagnosed with an aggressive Stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer, a rare and fast-moving form of the disease. "When I first met with the oncologist, I asked about my quality of life," Nancy recalled. "I didn't think I'd be here today." As someone who describes herself as "Type A" — always in control — Nancy said it was difficult to let others step in and help. But she found unexpected strength in the team at AdventHealth Littleton, including her oncology nurse, Sarah Scannapieco, who stood by her throughout her treatment. CBS "There aren't many treatment options for triple-negative breast cancer," Nancy said. "It has to be treated with chemotherapy right away to stop it from growing. It's terrifying when you first hear the diagnosis — I did what no one should do and Googled it." Sarah, her nurse and now dear friend, remembers that time clearly. "We see patients weekly, sometimes daily, for months at a time," Sarah said. "You form strong bonds. They become like a second family to us." Sunday's event was a joyful reunion for Nancy and Sarah, reconnecting after a transformative year for Nancy. "It gives you hope. It gives you guidance. Happiness. All of it," Sarah said of the event. "It's really nice to see everyone come together." National Cancer Survivors Day event at Fiddler's Green. CBS Now two and a half years in remission, Nancy continues her journey with purpose. Through the American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery program, she volunteers by driving cancer patients to and from their treatment appointments — a way of giving back to the community that helped her heal.
Reuters
6 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Natural gas bulls should bemoan Indonesia's coal export blues: Maguire
LITTLETON, Colorado, May 30 (Reuters) - Developers and exporters of natural gas should be alarmed by the dour state of thermal coal exports coming out of Indonesia. The world's largest thermal coal exporter is on course for a rare decline in annual sales after shipping out the smallest tonnage in three years during the opening five months of 2025. To combat declining sales, regional coal traders have cut export prices to their lowest in four years, which in turn are reducing the cost of coal-fired power production across Asia. That's bad news for natural gas bulls, who eye Asia as their main potential growth market but are already struggling to displace cheaper coal from power systems across the region. Indonesian coal sales to the two largest coal consumers - China and India - dropped by 23% and 14% respectively so far this year as coal miners in those countries lifted domestic output and reduced demand for imports. Indonesia exported just under 188 million metric tons of coal used for power generation during January to May, according to commodities trade intelligence firm Kpler. That total was 12% or around 25 million tons less than during the same months in 2024, and was the lowest for that period since 2022. Sales to top market China are down by 23% or by 20 million tons compared to January to May 2024, while sales to India were 14% or 6.5 million tons lower. As China and India have historically accounted for two-thirds of all Indonesian coal exports, exporters are attempting to replace those lost volumes with sales to other markets. However, the soft state of global consumer demand and manufacturing activity has also cooled demand for industrial power fuels in other major coal import markets, including South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. Indeed, eight of the ten largest markets for Indonesian coal have registered year-over-year declines in imports so far in 2025. To combat the declining sales, coal traders in Indonesia, Australia, Colombia, South Africa and Russia have all cut prices this month, with many key international coal benchmarks currently trading at over four-year lows. As Asia's power system already relies on coal for over half of all electricity supplies, cheaper coal prices look set to deepen the region's reliance on the fuel for power, especially while economic and business profit growth remain subdued. Cheaper coal prices also serve to undermine the appeal of constructing new natural gas-fired power plants in the region, especially in areas where new solar capacity can be brought online more quickly to help boost near-term power supplies. Natural gas plants currently produce around 10% of Asia's utility-supplied electricity, according to Ember, fed by around 912 gigawatts (GW) of regional gas-fired generation capacity, data from Global Energy Monitor (GEM) shows. Gas market bulls have high hopes that more gas generation capacity will be built in Asia. Two-thirds of all new global gas power capacity currently under construction is taking place within the continent, GEM data shows. An additional 61% of gas projects in so-called pre-construction - where deals have been proposed but capital and sites have yet to be secured - are also in Asia. Most, if not all, of the gas projects currently under construction are expected to come online, especially the roughly 53 GW of new capacity in China and Taiwan where outdated coal-fired capacity is expected to be replaced by newer gas plants. Singapore and South Korea have a further 7 GW in the construction phase, which should bode well for international gas export potential as both those countries are gas importers. However, it is not yet clear how much more gas generation capacity will be built elsewhere in Asia, especially in countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines where there are limited government funds available for large energy investments. Both Indonesia and the Philippines have also been hit by gas project delays in recent years which are serving to undermine commercial support for new gas projects, especially when solar capacity has been brought online more quickly. The speed of cost reductions of solar generation and battery storage systems also cloud the outlook for gas power projects that are not yet under construction, especially in countries with strong social support for reducing fossil fuel reliance. For exporters of natural gas and LNG, the combination of project delays and development uncertainty is already serving to postpone potential export volume growth by years and is placing pressure on near-term LNG export prices in key markets. And with coal prices now lingering near multi-year lows, that could be enough to change the tune of many gas market bulls. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.
Zawya
29-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Record US clean power run rolls on through May: Maguire
(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.) LITTLETON, Colorado - The U.S. power system is on track to produce more electricity from clean power sources than from fossil fuels for the third straight month in May, establishing a record-long stretch for clean power generation in the country. Clean power sources provided the majority of U.S. electricity supplies for the first time in March of this year, according to data from think tank Ember, and extended that run in April thanks to record renewable energy output. The lowest natural gas-fired generation total in three years also helped ensure clean energy's majority share in April, and further declines in gas power output so far this month look set to keep that trend going in May. Greater demand for air conditioning systems over the summer may force utilities to elevate fossil fuel-based output from June onwards. But the current three-month stretch of clean power dominance marks a new milestone in U.S. energy transition efforts, and highlights a growing adeptness within generation networks at maximising clean energy output while curtailing fossil fuel use. CLEAN MAJORITY After generating 50.5% of U.S. utility-supplied electricity in March, clean energy sources accounted for 50.8% of electricity in April, Ember data shows. Big year-over-year increases in output from solar farms (+33%) and hydro dams (+24%) helped lift total clean electricity output by 8% in April from the same month a year ago. Gas-fired electricity generation in April was 6% lower than in the same month in 2024, further helping to stack generation trends in favour of clean power. So far in May, data from LSEG indicate that clean energy sources continue to have the upper hand. From May 1 through May 27, LSEG data shows that solar power output is up by 19% from the same dates in 2024, to a record 883,000 megawatt hours (MWh). That increase in solar output helped offset a 7% year-over-year decline in output from wind farms so far this month, and helped push total supplies from renewable energy sources to a new record. On the fossil fuel side of the output ledger natural gas underwent a further year-over-year contraction, with gas-fired output at just under 4.3 million MWh for the May 1-27 window, and the smallest for that period in at least three years. Coal-fired power output showed a modest 2% expansion so far in May from the same month a year ago, but overall fossil fuel power output is on track for a 9% fall from May 2024. FOSSIL FLUX The sustained high price of natural gas - which is the largest single power source within the U.S. electricity system - has been a supportive factor behind the recent clean streak. So far in 2025, benchmark U.S. Henry Hub natural gas futures have averaged $3.70 per million British thermal units (MMBtu). That average price is 77% above where Henry Hub values averaged over the same period of 2024, and means that power generators were motivated to cut back on gas use whenever possible so far this year. Utilities with generation portfolios that contain renewable power were able to deploy maximum volumes of clean energy while curtailing gas-fired production, thereby saving on costs while lifting the proportion of clean power to new highs. Power generators with more limited renewable supplies opted to boost coal-fired generation sharply higher so far this year, which also provided scope for cuts to the use of pricey gas. Total generation from gas-fired power stations is down around 8% so far this year from the same dates in 2024, while coal-fired plant production is around 15% higher, according to LSEG. SUMMER STRAIN Power generation from solar farms - which have been by far the fastest growing energy source in recent years - looks set to hit fresh highs as the U.S. summer kicks in. Solar's share of the overall electricity generation mix appears on track to climb from just under 11% in April to around 12% to 14% in the coming months as solar radiation levels peak. However, greater use of power-hungry air conditioners will put utilities on the hook to ensure that power supplies meet the heightened demand levels, even when the sun doesn't shine. That will likely serve to lift the proportion of fossil fuels within the overall generation mix, and potentially push clean power's share below 50% again during the hottest months of the year. But with solar and battery storage capacity still expanding within U.S. networks, clean power's share of the generation mix should remain close to 50%, and could re-emerge as the primary power source once demand for cooling systems dips in the fall. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters. (Reporting by Gavin Maguire; Editing by Sonali Paul)
Reuters
29-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Record US clean power run rolls on through May: Maguire
LITTLETON, Colorado, May 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. power system is on track to produce more electricity from clean power sources than from fossil fuels for the third straight month in May, establishing a record-long stretch for clean power generation in the country. Clean power sources provided the majority of U.S. electricity supplies for the first time in March of this year, according to data from think tank Ember, and extended that run in April thanks to record renewable energy output. The lowest natural gas-fired generation total in three years also helped ensure clean energy's majority share in April, and further declines in gas power output so far this month look set to keep that trend going in May. Greater demand for air conditioning systems over the summer may force utilities to elevate fossil fuel-based output from June onwards. But the current three-month stretch of clean power dominance marks a new milestone in U.S. energy transition efforts, and highlights a growing adeptness within generation networks at maximising clean energy output while curtailing fossil fuel use. After generating 50.5% of U.S. utility-supplied electricity in March, clean energy sources accounted for 50.8% of electricity in April, Ember data shows. Big year-over-year increases in output from solar farms (+33%) and hydro dams (+24%) helped lift total clean electricity output by 8% in April from the same month a year ago. Gas-fired electricity generation in April was 6% lower than in the same month in 2024, further helping to stack generation trends in favour of clean power. So far in May, data from LSEG indicate that clean energy sources continue to have the upper hand. From May 1 through May 27, LSEG data shows that solar power output is up by 19% from the same dates in 2024, to a record 883,000 megawatt hours (MWh). That increase in solar output helped offset a 7% year-over-year decline in output from wind farms so far this month, and helped push total supplies from renewable energy sources to a new record. On the fossil fuel side of the output ledger natural gas underwent a further year-over-year contraction, with gas-fired output at just under 4.3 million MWh for the May 1-27 window, and the smallest for that period in at least three years. Coal-fired power output showed a modest 2% expansion so far in May from the same month a year ago, but overall fossil fuel power output is on track for a 9% fall from May 2024. The sustained high price of natural gas - which is the largest single power source within the U.S. electricity system - has been a supportive factor behind the recent clean streak. So far in 2025, benchmark U.S. Henry Hub natural gas futures have averaged $3.70 per million British thermal units (MMBtu). That average price is 77% above where Henry Hub values averaged over the same period of 2024, and means that power generators were motivated to cut back on gas use whenever possible so far this year. Utilities with generation portfolios that contain renewable power were able to deploy maximum volumes of clean energy while curtailing gas-fired production, thereby saving on costs while lifting the proportion of clean power to new highs. Power generators with more limited renewable supplies opted to boost coal-fired generation sharply higher so far this year, which also provided scope for cuts to the use of pricey gas. Total generation from gas-fired power stations is down around 8% so far this year from the same dates in 2024, while coal-fired plant production is around 15% higher, according to LSEG. Power generation from solar farms - which have been by far the fastest growing energy source in recent years - looks set to hit fresh highs as the U.S. summer kicks in. Solar's share of the overall electricity generation mix appears on track to climb from just under 11% in April to around 12% to 14% in the coming months as solar radiation levels peak. However, greater use of power-hungry air conditioners will put utilities on the hook to ensure that power supplies meet the heightened demand levels, even when the sun doesn't shine. That will likely serve to lift the proportion of fossil fuels within the overall generation mix, and potentially push clean power's share below 50% again during the hottest months of the year. But with solar and battery storage capacity still expanding within U.S. networks, clean power's share of the generation mix should remain close to 50%, and could re-emerge as the primary power source once demand for cooling systems dips in the fall. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.
