| Read This Story: Grading Our 2020 Energy Sector Predictions Indeed, this year prices have been significantly lower. Through December 15 the average natural gas price for 2020 was $2.00/MMBtu. This is partially a function of the pandemic, but primarily a function of years of expanding U.S. natural gas production. 4. ExxonMobil toppled. ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) had consistently been the largest publicly traded energy company by market capitalization for a long time. That changed in early October when NextEra's (NYSE: NEE) market capitalization surpassed ExxonMobil's to become the largest U.S. energy company. Then, a week later Chevron's (NYSE: CVX) market cap surpassed ExxonMobil's. But ExxonMobil has been around for a long time, and the company didn't stay down long. By year-end, the company had rallied and regained its top spot. However, given the trends in recent years away from fossil fuels, it may be just a matter of time before NextEra, buoyed by its strong push into renewable energy, surpasses ExxonMobil permanently. 5. Presidential election. This wouldn't have been a top story if President Trump had won reelection, but Joe Biden's victory will signal some sharp changes in energy policy. Biden has already announced that the U.S. will rejoin the Paris Agreement on climate change. Biden's policies are expected to further discourage the use of fossil fuels and encourage the use of renewables. Honorable Mentions There were several other stories worth mentioning. Many of them are direct consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress last week agreed on the most significant piece of energy legislation in more than a decade, part of the $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill. After last-minute drama Sunday night, President Trump signed the bill. (For details of the energy provisions, click here.)
2020 also saw a return of hydrogen to the energy conversation as a potential alternative to fossil fuels. Hydrogen, which was once hyped by President George W. Bush, has a spotty history as the "fuel of the future." But the dramatic decline in the cost of renewable power has helped return hydrogen to the mainstream conversation. Hydrogen stories were everywhere in the media in 2020. Carbon emissions recorded the largest decline on record, as a result of the oil demand destruction brought on by COVID-19. Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDSB) cut its dividend for the first time in 75 years. China successfully initiated a nuclear fusion reactor for the first time. COVID-19 accelerated the pace at which companies have accepted the remote worker. This had dramatic implications across many sectors. Video conferencing services exploded as demand for gasoline plunged. Utility consumption patterns shifted. People relied more on companies like Amazon (NSDQ: AMZN) to deliver goods to their homes. I will offer my predictions for 2021 in a couple of weeks, but my hunch is that COVID-19 will once again dominate the energy conversation. Hopefully, we will be discussing the rebound in the economy as the pandemic comes under control. Editor's Note: Robert Rapier, the energy expert at Investing Daily, just provided you with profitable insights into the energy sector. Another in-house expert who specializes in crucial commodities is our colleague Dr. Stephen Leeb, chief investment strategist of The Complete Investor and Real World Investing. Gold prices have been on a tear this year and Dr. Leeb predicts that gold will continue its ascent in 2021. His preferred way to profit from increases in gold prices is through small-cap miners that can put operating leverage to work. Dr. Leeb and his investment team just pinpointed a gold mining stock that's poised to hand investors exponential gains. If you act now, this tiny $9 company could hand you 20 times your money. For details on this under-the-radar stock, click here. | 
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