May 4th 2020

YOUR WEEKLY JOLT

We scoured the internet and polled our own team to find helpful ways to better navigate the WFH situation, as we head into another week away from the office, away from each other, and away from normal rhythms and routines.

Speaking of routines, this seems to be at the top of the list: experts and everyday folks rocking quarantine stick to routines, and map out their days—from meals to breaks, meetings to stretches, calling friends and calling it quits at an hour that allows time to differentiate between work and life. Even if you’re stuck in the same place.

The list of WFH recommendations goes on, from exercise to mindfulness, hydration to sleep. Admittedly, our favorite tip from the mental health gurus revolves around kindness: to others and to yourself. This situation is rough enough, and can easily be compounded by feelings of anger, isolation, self-doubt, and more.

We’re all doing the best we can. So cut yourself some slack and maybe pick a time to read the Jolt each week. Just an idea.

Heating Oil

  • Prompt-month heating oil futures increased 23.15% for the week ending Friday, 5/1, as prices rose $0.1497 per gallon.
  • On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude futures for delivery in June closed at $19.92 per barrel on Friday, 5/1, up 5.51% for the day, and up 16.90% for the week.
Why So Crude? Crude oil prices increased last week and climbed slightly on Monday, trading around $20 a barrel. Investors showed optimism as OPEC and its allies began a record output cut in order to balance a heavily oversupplied market. These supply cuts, agreed upon in early April, amount to a reduction of about 9.7 million barrels a day. Some worries remained that these cuts would not be enough to offset plummeting demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rising U.S. tensions with China also tempered gains, with President Trump suggesting that further tariffs could be implemented as retaliation for China’s role in the coronavirus outbreak. The Baker Hughes oil rig count fell for the fifth straight week, going from 378 to 325 and indicating decreased domestic production.
Natural Gas

  • Prompt-month natural gas futures increased $0.048 for the week ending Friday, 5/1, to settle at $1.794/Dth.
  • Overall supply decreased by 1.0 Bcf from the previous week. Total demand decreased by 3.4 Bcf.
  • Natural gas exports in February 2020 were 452,315 million cubic feet, compared with 329,954 million cubic feet in February 2019. This is a 37.08% increase.
  • Net injections into storage totaled 70 Bcf, compared with the 5 year average net injection of 74 Bcf and last year’s net injection of 114 Bcf during the same week.
  • Working gas stocks total 2,210 Bcf, coming in 360 Bcf more than the five-year average and 783 Bcf more than last year at this time.
Leaning Higher? Natural gas is a market that is always full of surprises. Since natural gas began trading on NYMEX in 1990, the price range has been from $1.02 to $15.65 per MMBtu. – Seeking Alpha
Electricity

  • Average peak prices in NYC increased last week, rising $0.57 to $18.01 per MWh.
  • Average peak prices in Central NY’s Zone C increased, rising $2.19 to $15.36 per MWh.
  • Average peak prices in New Jersey’s PSE&G decreased, falling $0.05 to $18.14 per MWh.
  • Average peak prices in New Jersey’s ACE decreased, falling $0.11 to $17.95 per MWh.
  • Average peak prices in Pennsylvania’s PPL decreased, falling $0.10 to $18.07 per MWh.
  • Average peak prices in Maryland’s BGE decreased, falling $0.15 to $19.58 per MWh.
  • Calendar 2020 prices in NYC increased $0.19 per MWh, and Zone C prices increased $0.27 per MWh.
  • Calendar 2020 prices in PSE&G increased $0.08 per MWh, and ACE prices increased $0.08 per MWh.
  • Calendar 2020 prices in PPL increased $0.08 per MWh.
Workbench On Wheels. Despite concerns that the COVID-19 pandemic would significantly delay the rollout of CAKE’s new electric motorcycle platform, the Swedish company has just announced that deliveries of the CAKE Ösa have commenced in the US. – Electrek.co
Technology

Image: Bellabeat
Happy Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day is less than a week away. Here’s a list of the top 25 tech gifts for Mom this year (since brunch is likely not happening). – Business Insider
Positive Energy

❤️ An ER nurse at a hospital in Massachusetts launched the Pictures for Patients program, printing pictures sent to her from family members who are unable to be with their loved ones as this battle COVID-19. She then makes sure they are hung up in the patients’ rooms. Check out the story here.

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