“There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen”. Lenin’s famous insight was highly relevant to 2020. It was full of such weeks as the coronavirus pandemic became a catalyst for major paradigm shifts in the economy. Of course, some sceptics still expect a quick V-shaped return to ‘business as usual’, […]
Chemicals and the Economy
America hits “peak gasoline” moment as demand patterns change
OPEC has a long wait ahead, if it hopes that US drivers will ever go back to SuperCycle levels of driving and gasoline consumption growth. That’s the clear message from new data from the US Dept of Transport showing vehicle miles traveled last year. The chart shows: □ Average number of miles driven per adult […]
BMW says “pay to use” models will challenge US auto industry
Major change seems underway in the auto industry, as BMW joins the list of those entering the car-sharing market with its DriveNow electric vehicles. As BMW’s Tony Douglas noted at their launch: “Our core business in the ’70s was selling cars; in the ’80s, late ’70s came the great innovation of leasing and financing. Now […]
China, USA, give cash subsidies to electric autos
Greater use of electric autos is a win-win for the chemical industry. They will not only reduce competition with gasoline for feedstock, but also increase polymer demand – to replace steel and glass. So China’s entry into the market could be very important. As always, the blog has been brought up to date by its […]
Volt to use ethanol as well as electricity
The blog has been following the development of GM’s new all-electric car, the Chevrolet Volt, with interest, ever since Pedro Spohr of Galp in Portugal highlighted its potential to impact naphtha balances. Of course, it won’t do this on its own – but GM’s adoption of the technology makes it essential for other manufacturers to […]
Intel’s Grove calls for electric cars
A new debate about increasing US energy security, by reducing gasoline dependence, may be getting underway. Leading the move is Andy Grove, the man who made Intel into the leading global chip company. His key phrase, and the title for his 1996 book, was ‘Only the paranoid survive’. Now he is taking this approach into […]
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