This map shows where electricity is made around the world and how it is produced. One layer looks at the whole globe, and another layer focuses on the U.S. Both layers show power made from oil, gas, hydropower, bioenergy, geothermal, nuclear, solar and wind. Note that some of the more detailed data appears on this map as you zoom in.

Global Energy Monitor gathers and studies information about energy, like where power plants are and how much energy is used. Their data is free for anyone to access and helps people work toward a cleaner energy future. The Global Integrated Power Tracker is a big set of data about power stations around the world. Their research shows that global power generation has tripled in the last 25 years.

The tracker gives detailed information about different types of power. These different kinds of power are shown on the map and in the map’s legend. They are categorized by Non-Renewables, Clean Energy and Renewables. Non-renewable energy sources cannot be replaced. They are often called fossil fuels, meaning the oil, gas and coal are formed from fossils deep in the earth. The oil, gas or coal that is burned to create heat produces harmful gases. Clean Energy earned the name “clean” because it does not create greenhouse gases. Renewable energy sources have a repeated supply.

Clean energy sources on the map are produced in four ways. Hydropower uses rushing water through a dam to turn turbines. Bioenergy is produced from organic materials such as plants, agricultural residues, forestry waste and algae. Geothermal energy is generated from the intense, constant heat stored beneath the Earth's surface, stemming from radioactive decay and the planet's formation. Nuclear energy is the energy released through nuclear fission (splitting atoms) inside a nuclear reactor to produce heat, which is then converted to electricity. Hydropower, bioenergy and geothermal energy are also renewable sources. Nuclear energy does not create greenhouse gasses, but it is not renewable and produces radioactive waste that must be stored.

Finally, the map displays the renewable sources of solar and wind energy production. When we place wind turbines in the right places, they turn turbines as long as the wind blows. Solar panels collect sunlight that can create stored energy, especially helpful when we need lights at night. Solar energy is a fast-growing renewable energy source and is easily adaptable at many scales from a calculator or phone charger to panels on the roof to power a whole house.

Explorer Allison Archambault - Electricity for Everyone

Since the Industrial Revolution, people have used mostly fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. These nonrenewable sources harm our environment. Oil, gas and coal harm the environment primarily by releasing greenhouse gases, causing climate change, and polluting air and water through extraction and combustion. They are responsible for about 80% of global CO² emissions, driving rising temperatures, sea-level rise, and ecosystem destruction.

National Geographic Explorer Allison Archambault works in Haiti, where about 12 million people live, many of them in areas with little electricity, as shown on the world’s light pollution map. Archambault leads EarthSpark , a nonprofit group that fights energy poverty. EarthSpark builds local energy systems that help communities in Haiti and other places. According to Archambault in 2019, 1 billion people use fire for light, and 2 billion people cook with fire from wood, charcoal or dung. Even though over 7 billion people on Earth have access to electricity, between 730 million and 1 billion people do not. Archambault and Earthspark have spent 15 years building small, sustainable micropower grids in places where people mostly use fire for light and cooking. These micro-grids use solar energy to provide power to homes and businesses in locations that might not be able to access power from large plants or a big power grid.

Archambault’s work shows how useful this kind of data is for making smart choices. A map like this can help her team determine where there may be gaps in people’s access to electricity. Planners can use a map like this to see if there is enough electricity to develop new homes, build resources like a hospital or open new businesses. Some new businesses, such as data centers for artificial intelligence, use a lot of electricity.

How many watts do we use? The average U.S. home uses about 30 kilowatt-hours of electricity a day. There are 1,000 kilowatts in a megawatt, and 1,000 megawatts in a gigawatt. Click on the map’s’s points to see how much power is available and how much electricity can run TVs, computers and electric vehicles.

Thinking Geographically

As you look at the data, notice special places where energy is made. Follow the bookmark to the U.K. What is different about the places where energy is made on this map?

Try adding the layer for light pollution to see where lights shine at night. Then, use the swipe tool to compare power production and light pollution. How can comparing these two data layers help you understand power and where more capacity is needed?

Maps and data help us see information clearly and can help us solve problems. What other kinds of data would be useful to understand global power issues?