‘Least extreme U.S. weather year ever?’ 2013 shatters the record for fewest U.S. tornadoes — 15% lower than previous record — 2013 also had the fewest U.S. forest fires since 1984

Much to the chagrin of man-made global warming activists who want to tie every weather event to so called ‘global weirding’, 2013 has turned out to be one of the “least extreme” weather years in U.S. history.

 See: New Study: ’2013 ranks as one of the least extreme U.S. weather years ever’– Many bad weather events at ‘historically low levels’

‘Whether you’re talking about tornadoes, wildfires, extreme heat or hurricanes, the good news is that weather-related disasters in the US are all way down this year compared to recent years and, in some cases, down to historically low levels.’

Extreme Heat: The number of 100 degree days may ‘turn out to be the lowest in about 100 years of records’

Hurricanes: ‘We are currently in the longest period (8 years) since the Civil War Era without a major hurricane strike in the US (i.e., category 3, 4 or 5)’ ( last major hurricane to strike the US was Hurricane Wilma in 2005)

READ MORE:  http://www.climatedepot.com/2013/12/27/2013-shatters-the-record-for-fewest-tornadoes-15-lower-than-previous-record/

U.S. foresees gas-powered vehicles dominating through 2040

Washington — – The Energy Department is predicting gasoline-powered vehicles will continue to dominate the market through 2040.

The Energy Information Agency said in a report Tuesday that it also predicts a big rise in the fuel economy of the nation’s cars and trucks. It predicts the fuel efficiency of the nation’s cars and trucks will rise from 21.5 mpg in 2012 to 37.2 mpg by 2040. Overall energy consumption by the nation’s transportation sector is expected to fall by about 4 percent.

The agency predicts that in 2040, 78 percent of all cars and trucks will run on gasoline, down from 82 percent last year. It predicts a big upswing in micro-hybrids and other advanced fuel technologies to 42 percent of all vehicles by 2040. EIA predicts full hybrids will account for 5 percent of vehicles in 2040 — up from 3 percent today. Diesel vehicles will double to 4 percent from the current 2 percent.

It predicts just 1 percent of total sales will be plug-in hybrids and 1 percent full electric vehicles in 2040.

READ MORE: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20131217/AUTO01/312170108#ixzz2p3tKHsvq

Should Congress Extend Renewable-Energy Tax Credits?

Should policymakers vote to extend tax policies incenting renewable energy, including those for wind energy and biofuels?

This year is shaping up like ones past: Congress faces an eleventh-hour decision about whether to extend a slew of temporary tax provisions that expire at year's end, some of which affect energy industries. This time around, the debate is taking place while leaders on the tax-writing committees—House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., and Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont.—are working on long-term comprehensive tax reform, which could cloud efforts to pass a last-minute deal to extend temporary tax incentives.

Policies the energy industry is affected by include the production tax credit for wind power and several similar temporary incentives for the biofuels industry. Meanwhile, certain tax provisions the oil and natural-gas industries receive may be eliminated as part of comprehensive tax reform, if Congress really takes up such reform.

Should Congress pass an overarching "tax extenders" package like it does at the end of most years? What factors should Congress consider when making this decision? How does this eleventh-hour debate affect efforts to achieve comprehensive tax reform, and vice versa?

READ MORE:  http://www.nationaljournal.com/policy/insiders/energy/should-congress-extend-renewable-energy-tax-credits-20131216#comment-1167895157

Welcome to the Mexican Oil Rush of 2014

It seems to me that the biggest story that nobody’s really been paying much attention to over the last few days is the Mexican Congress’ vote to amend the constitution to open the country’s energy markets to foreign investment after 75 years of control by state-owned firm Pemex. On top of being a major victory for new President Enrique Peña Nieto, who came to power promising to reverse his country’s slumping economic growth, this is a development with profound implications for politics, business, and the environment.

Mexico could be sitting on the world’s largest unexplored oil reserves outside the Arctic, but the country’s output has been falling over the last decade as Pemex hasn’t had the means to explore it. The country’s exports to the United States dropped below 1 million barrels for the first time in 20 years last year. Mexico may also have the world's sixth-largest recoverable shale gas reserves.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_world_/2013/12/16/mexico_opens_oil_industry_to_foreigners_let_the_rush_begin.html?wpisrc=hpsponsoredd2

EIA Forecast: Fossil Fuels Remain Dominant Through 2040

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) just released its Annual Energy Outlook 2014 with projections through 2040. Although there is a major push by the Obama Administration to make renewable energy the fuel of choice, fossil fuels supply 80 percent of the nation’s energy in 2040, slightly less than their 82 percent share in 2012. Renewable energy increases its share from 9.3 percent in 2012 to just 11.8 percent in 2040 despite the subsidies and mandates that they receive.

Oil Production
EIA projects that the production of crude oil and lease condensate will increase from 6.5 million barrels per day in 2012 to 9.6 million barrels per day in 2019, 22 percent higher than in last year’s forecast, as producers locate and target the sweet spots of plays currently under development and find additional tight formations that can be developed with the latest technologies. After 2019, domestic crude oil production declines, but remains at or above 7.5 million barrels per day through 2040. Tight oil production increases from 2.3 million barrels per day in 2012 (35 percent of total crude oil production) to 4.8 million barrels per day in 2021 (51 percent of the total). Tight oil production declines after 2021, as more development moves into less-productive areas. Offshore crude oil ranges between 1.6 and 2.0 million barrels per day from 2015 through 2040, as the pace of development activity quickens and new, large development projects, predominantly in the deepwater and ultra-deepwater portions of the Gulf of Mexico, are brought into production.

READ MORE:  http://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/2013/12/17/eia-forecast-fossil-fuels-remain-dominant-through-2040/

North America to Drown in Oil as Mexico Ends Monopoly

The flood of North American crude oil is set to become a deluge as Mexico dismantles a 75-year-old barrier to foreign investment in its oil fields.

Plagued by almost a decade of slumping output that has degraded Mexico’s take from a $100-a-barrel oil market, President Enrique Pena Nieto is seeking an end to the state monopoly over one of the biggest crude resources in the Western Hemisphere. The doubling in Mexican oil output that Citigroup Inc. said may result from inviting international explorers to drill would be equivalent to adding another Nigeria to world supply, or about 2.5 million barrels a day.

READ MORE:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-16/north-america-to-drown-in-oil-as-mexico-ends-monopoly.html

Study: Earth was warmer in Roman, Medieval times

If you think the Earth is hot now, try wearing plate armor in the Middle Ages.
A Swedish study found that the planet was warmer in ancient Roman times and the Middle Ages than today, challenging the mainstream idea that man-made greenhouse gas emissions are the main drivers of global warming.

The study, by scientist Leif Kullman, analyzed 455 “radiocarbon-dated mega-fossils” in the Scandes mountains and found that tree lines for different species of trees were higher during the Roman and Medieval times than they are today. Not only that, but the temperatures were higher as well.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/12/13/study-earth-was-warmer-in-roman-medieval-times/#ixzz2nk6IMQL2