How to Access the Electricity Maps API and Understanding Regional Restrictions
Electricity Maps provides API access to users based on their intended use while ensuring data availability is aligned with security and accuracy considerations. Below is a comprehensive guide to help you understand how to gain access and navigate any restrictions that might apply.
Overview of API Access
Electricity Maps' API offers data access for various purposes, including academic research, commercial use, and personal or home automation projects. However, access is subject to specific eligibility requirements and, in some cases, geographic limitations.
Eligibility and Access Categories
1. Commercial Use
For commercial users:
Clearly state your intended commercial application during the onboarding process.
You will initially receive a test API key. The test key provides randomized yet realistic data, enabling you to explore the available API endpoints.
Full access to non-randomized data is available after completing commercial onboarding.
2. Academic Use
For academic researchers:
Sign up using your institutional email address (e.g., an email ending in .edu or similar).
After registering with an academic email, you will be automatically granted access to academic data.
3. Personal or Home Automation
For personal use, including home automation tools like Home Assistant:
During the signup process, select the 'Home Assistant' option if provided, or describe your intended use for personal home automation.
You may need to create a separate account specifically for this category.
Not Sure Which Category Applies?
If your intended use does not clearly fall into one of the above categories, provide a detailed explanation of your project or application during registration. This will help the Electricity Maps team direct you to the appropriate steps or access tier.
Additional Support
If you encounter challenges while attempting to access the API or determining which user category fits your project, contact Electricity Maps support for personalized assistance.