Data Visualization Project:
Energy & Community
This website incorporated multiple implemented dashboards that analyze production, consumption, economics, and environmental aspects of various renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydro. The website uses Vue, D3.js, Mapbox, etc to implement a highly interactive and informative structure to encourage community members and local policymakers to further engage in the development process of renewables and construct a deeper understanding of how renewables can truly benefit various aspects of their lives.
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The dataset sources used in this website include energy production, emissions, and affordability data from U.S. governmental agencies (EIA, DOE, NREL) and global solar facility data from the World Resources Institute (WRI).
Implemented Functionality
Zoomable Circle Packing Visual
Technology used: D3.js
By using D3.js's layout, a zoomable circle packing was designed and implemented to showcase basic energy information by breaking down the data by categories. User can explore more detailed information about each fuel type when clicking on individual circles.
Solar PV Price Prediction
Technology used: Mapbox
Utilizing Mapbox, a 3D bar chart is built to visualize predicted solar PV prices from 2030 to 2050. The diverging color scheme shows the extent of price differences, where the northern part of the US generally indicates a higher levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for solar. Users can choose from the drop-down menu which year they want to visualize on the map.
Solar Fascility Map
Technology used: Mapbox
A renewable facility and investment dashboard was implemented using Mapbox, integrating functionality that allows users to enter their zip code to view information on the nearest renewable facility. Users can also select their state from a dropdown menu to explore key investment metrics, including payback rates, existing facility capacities, and numbers, providing valuable insights for the future development of renewables in the area.
Emissions 3D Visualization
Technology used: Plotly
A 3D map was created using Plotly to explore the correlation between emission rates (CO2, SO2, and NOx) and the production and consumption of prime and renewable energy. Each point on the map represents a state, allowing users to select whether to view energy production or consumption. Based on the selection, the color of the point indicates the production or consumption of prime energy, while the size of the point represents the corresponding production or consumption of renewable energy.
