Read on Twitter
Would it be useful to have "a Google Maps of the global energy system"?
It& #39;s really odd that, on the one hand, you can find the nearest cafe for any location on Earth.
Yet most countries don& #39;t even know how many generators they have, let alone where they all are!
It& #39;s really odd that, on the one hand, you can find the nearest cafe for any location on Earth.
Yet most countries don& #39;t even know how many generators they have, let alone where they all are!
My guess is that a complete, open map would be absolutely 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭!
It would ultimately reduce emissions (which is the bit that gets me most excited).
A map would enable energy forecasting, inform policy & planning, speed up research, etc.
It would ultimately reduce emissions (which is the bit that gets me most excited).
A map would enable energy forecasting, inform policy & planning, speed up research, etc.
The map could be open, collaborative, uniform, constantly updated, & machine-readable.
It could capture far more than just the spatial locations of energy assets: It could capture functional relationships; relationships from assets to companies, policies, datasets, etc.
It could capture far more than just the spatial locations of energy assets: It could capture functional relationships; relationships from assets to companies, policies, datasets, etc.
There are a bunch of amazing projects moving in this direction, such as:
* @OpenInfraMap (visualising @OpenStreetMap data) by @russss
* The @OrdnanceSurvey & @EnergyNetworks UK Digital System Map pilot
* PUDL by @CatalystCoop
* @GlobalEnergyMon
* OPSD
* Open Energy Ontology
* @OpenInfraMap (visualising @OpenStreetMap data) by @russss
* The @OrdnanceSurvey & @EnergyNetworks UK Digital System Map pilot
* PUDL by @CatalystCoop
* @GlobalEnergyMon
* OPSD
* Open Energy Ontology
In @OpenClimateFix, we& #39;re considering attempting to raise some money to help map the global energy system, and we& #39;d 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 help figuring out if that& #39;s useful and, if so, how best can we help?
Below is one idea for how we could help...
Below is one idea for how we could help...
There& #39;s lots of open data describing the energy system.
But these datasets are super-tedious to merge into a single, de-duplicated, harmonised map because these datasets are in different formats & - crucially - use different naming conventions.
Maybe we can help merge datasets:
But these datasets are super-tedious to merge into a single, de-duplicated, harmonised map because these datasets are in different formats & - crucially - use different naming conventions.
Maybe we can help merge datasets:
1. Help create an openly-governed ontology (perhaps by helping with OEO / OSM?)
2. Write open-source scripts to convert source data to the common ontology. Encourage the community to create scripts for more datasets. But, & #39;just& #39; converting to a common ontology is the easy bit!
2. Write open-source scripts to convert source data to the common ontology. Encourage the community to create scripts for more datasets. But, & #39;just& #39; converting to a common ontology is the easy bit!
3. The hard bit is de-duplicating & merging, because datasets use different naming conventions & rarely agree on what constitutes "a thing"! Merging is probably impossible to fully automate. We could use & #39;citizen science& #39;, following in the footsteps of @GalaxyZoo, @HOTOSM, etc.
That is, we could build a website where 1,000s of casual volunteers can click through small patches of map & click a button to say "the auto merge looks good!" or "the auto merge is wrong; the correct relationship is x"
In a lunch break, a volunteer could merge 100s of assets
In a lunch break, a volunteer could merge 100s of assets
4. Once the data has been de-duplicated by volunteers, maybe the data could go into @OpenStreetMap?
More details of this proposal here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c2SrqO0eCjfjPgcymA0glExo_B8-X-WTJMPd0ZrqAKI/edit#">https://docs.google.com/document/...
More details of this proposal here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c2SrqO0eCjfjPgcymA0glExo_B8-X-WTJMPd0ZrqAKI/edit#">https://docs.google.com/document/...
Of course, some details of the energy system can& #39;t be shared for security / privacy / commercial reasons. Sensitive assets could be & #39;anonymised& #39; by clumping them together. (e.g. "this street contains 12 domestic EV chargers").
We& #39;d 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 feedback on this idea. Especially:
1. Would a harmonised, global energy map be useful?
2. Which projects are doing similar things?
3. What are the blockers?
4. How can @OpenClimateFix help?!
5. Where should we start?
1. Would a harmonised, global energy map be useful?
2. Which projects are doing similar things?
3. What are the blockers?
4. How can @OpenClimateFix help?!
5. Where should we start?
