Electricity Maps was created with the mission to enable a data-driven decarbonization of electricity. However, in our busy lives, it can be easy to lose track of why we are on this path and how we’re contributing to fixing climate change. Moreover, what does “data-driven decarbonization” mean exactly?

Our mission

Climate change is one of the largest challenges of our generation. We’re the first generation witnessing its effects in our daily lives, and we’re also the generation which will be judged about whether or not we had the guts to do something about it. As the plaque of the first ex-glacier reads:

“...we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you will know if we did it.”

In this context, we at Electricity Maps want to be reminded of how our work leads to fixing climate change. We urgently need to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses we are emitting into the atmosphere and the single largest part comes from fossil fuels being burned as a source of energy. Currently, our best bet is to electrify our usage of energy, while ensuring that the source of electricity itself becomes fossil-free, every second of the year.

Amongst clean sources of electricity such as solar, wind, nuclear and hydro, some of them are intermittent, meaning they don’t produce clean electricity every second of the year. This requires rethinking the power system, orchestrating it in ways that balance supply and demand at all times. Without real-time data, this task would be nearly impossible. At Electricity Maps, we seek to provide the data infrastructure layer that drives this energy transition. We see it as our mission to enable a data-driven decarbonization of electricity.

From inaction to action

As part of our internal discussions to align priorities to reach our goals, we stumbled upon a simple yet powerful framework, called the Triangle of Inaction. In its simplified form, it describes three pillars (citizens, corporations and institutions) which all point at each other with reasons not to take action against climate change.

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We quickly realized that in order to ensure a data-driven decarbonization of electricity, we’d need to impact each of these three pillars - moving citizens, corporations and institutions from inaction to action. With this in mind, we crafted three priorities to ensure our mission gets realized:

1. Awareness through citizens
   Ensuring humanity understands in great detail what drives electricity emissions and what can be done about it. Our app and community represent some of our initiatives.
2. Orchestration through corporations
   Ensuring that any grid-connected systems use their flexibility to consume electricity when and where it is clean. For example, our API enables smart charging of EVs, load-shifting on data centers… ‍
3. Reporting through institutions
   Ensuring that every organization granularly accounts for their electricity emissions in a physically representative way. For example, our free data portal enables granular scope 2 reporting.

With this framework, we feel equipped and confident to have a real impact on the world. It keeps us aligned, focussed, and motivated.

How we contribute to fixing climate change

When it doubt, one picture reminds us of how our work relates to the grand problem we’re tackling:

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We’re on a mission, and if you’re as excited as we are to enable a data-driven decarbonization of electricity, then consider joining us.

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