Power Explorer

Power Explorer is a partnership to fill the need for better power sector data

Today's lack of transparent, accessible and centralized power sector data seriously inhibits the ability to conduct reliable research and solve problems in the global power sector. Consequently, information gaps for citizens, analysts, and decision-makers worldwide create barriers to sustainable power sector development efforts.

Power Explorer, to be launched in 2021, will meet that need by bringing together extensive data sets and visualizations that enable you to explore the current state of the power sector at global, national, and individual power plant level. The platform will contain information on all types of power generation, regardless of fuel type, from large-scale traditional power plants to distributed renewables to energy storage. By tracking all forms of power generation and providing centralized data and visualizations, Power Explorer will show structural shifts to clean energy in the power sector over time, identifying patterns and pathways toward a more sustainable and energy-secure future.

An Open and Global Database of the World's Power Plants

Power Explorer will serve as the most comprehensive source for understanding the world's power systems and their impacts on development and environmental challenges. The platform and its insights come from the Global Power Plant Database, an open source database of the world's power plants released in April 2018.

Power plants featured in the Global Power Plant Database contain the latest information on their capacity, electrical generation, fuel type, commissioning year, exact location, and ownership. Future iterations of the platform will include much more data on power plant technology, carbon dioxide emissions, water use, and release of air pollutants. We also aim to build tools based on these data to inform a wide array of stakeholders on the environmental impacts from the power sector. The dataset will pull from other global data layers to allow synthesis of information on power plants and water stress, sea level rise, etc.

How can Power Explorer help me?

Nonprofits and Citizens

Citizens will gain greater understanding of their local power systems and will be enabled and empowered to demand improvements to benefit their communities and environment.

Research Organizations

Academics, modelers and policy researchers can use the open data featured on Power Explorer to devise their own analyses. Open licensing will permit researchers to build upon the data with free rights to republish.

Companies

Companies and cities will understand the impact from their purchased electricity on climate change and water stress, inspiring action to set reduction goals and limit the environmental impact from their business operations.

Investors and International Organizations

Public and private investors will understand water risk, emissions and other impacts from power plants on the environment to enable more informed decision-making.

Part of the Resource Watch platform

Power Explorer is part of the Resource Watch family, a dynamic platform that leverages technology, data, and human networks to enable unprecedented transparency about the planet right now. You can already explore the Global Power Plant Database on Resource Watch and combine it with over 100 different data layers (for example, vulnerability to water-stressed areas) to make your own analysis and tell your stories.

Resource Watch combines advanced monitoring systems, satellite imagery, data, cloud computing, mobile technology and artificial intelligence to create transparency, accessibility and urgency around the evolving dynamics of the world's resources.

How can I get involved?

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Founding Partners

Research Partners

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