Daily Chemical Reaction
Staring At The Sun – Firm (High-Capacity Factor) Power Sources Need More Attention To Reach Net Zero!
Key Points:
- Most views call for intermittent CO2-free energy sources, such as solar and wind, to lead the charge to net zero. Firm CO2-free power sources are not getting as much focus – this is an issue.
- We discuss US refinery operating rates and domestic gasoline price trends. We also illustrate domestic refinery profitability in 1Q23 reflects levels well above the five-year range before 2022.
- We highlight the notable weakness in North American chemical rail traffic YTD, led by declines in the US, and discuss polymer-grade relative to refinery-grade propylene price trends.
- We discuss numerous corporate announcements in the renewables/clean energy sector alongside CERAWeek and display growth views in China Wind power and other related areas.
- We show the ifo Institute’s view of German auto manufacturers and small-business operator sentiment. We highlight economic data and indicator postings from around the global mid-week.
See PDF below for all charts, tables and diagrams