Energy guides:
power plants, grids & electricity.
From megawatts to electricity markets: practical explanations to help you read power-plant records and compare countries with confidence.
12 guides · explanations with sources, worked examples and links to the atlas
MW vs MWh: reading power and energy correctly
Understand megawatts, megawatt-hours, plant capacity, average output and the limits of converting station size into annual electricity.
Read the guide Electricity essentialsCapacity factor: what it tells you about a power plant
Calculate capacity factor, distinguish it from efficiency and availability, and avoid misleading comparisons between generators.
Read the guide Energy transitionRenewable vs low-carbon electricity: what’s the difference?
Separate renewable resources, low-carbon generation and electricity shares, including nuclear, bioenergy and storage.
Read the guide Plants and dataPower plant owners, operators and grid operators
Understand ownership, operating companies, project companies and grid roles, and how to verify a station’s published company details.
Read the guide Grids and operationElectricity grids and markets: who does what?
Learn the roles of system operators, transmission networks and electricity markets, including balancing and regional coverage.
Read the guide Generation technologiesBattery and pumped storage: MW, MWh and duration
Read storage power and energy ratings, calculate duration, and understand pumped hydro, losses and charging sources.
Read the guide Generation technologiesSolar capacity explained: MWac, MWdc and real output
Compare solar module and inverter ratings, understand clipping and test conditions, and read photovoltaic capacity records correctly.
Read the guide Generation technologiesWind farms: turbine ratings, weather and electricity output
Understand how wind turbines generate electricity, why output varies, and how to compare turbine and wind-farm records.
Read the guide Generation technologiesHydropower: reservoirs, rivers and pumped storage
Distinguish hydropower types, water availability, installed capacity and environmental questions when reading hydroelectric plant records.
Read the guide Energy transitionElectricity carbon intensity: units and comparisons
Read gCO₂e/kWh correctly, distinguish emissions intensity from total emissions, and understand annual generation-based indicators.
Read the guide Plants and dataHow to read a power-plant inventory without overclaiming
Interpret plant records, source dates, missing values and map coordinates, and understand why no global station map is a complete live register.
Read the guide Energy transitionComparing countries’ electricity mixes fairly
Compare renewable shares, generation volumes and trends using consistent years, definitions and country coverage instead of misleading rankings.
Read the guide