The Public Utility Data Liberation Project: Providing Open Data For a Clean Energy Transition

A rapid and equitable energy transition needs a diversity of participants who are empowered to conduct research and intervene with high-quality accessible energy data. This paper describes the critical role of open data in creating a fair and equitable clean energy transition. To address this need, Catalyst Cooperative created the Public Utility Data Liberation (PUDL) project to bridge the gap between available and accessible U.S. energy data - publishing free and open-source energy data and collaborating with non-profits, scholars and local advocates working to decarbonize U.S. energy systems. This paper describes how PUDL processes and publishes data and its impact. Beyond PUDL's functionality, this paper articulates the need for building an open-source ecosystem around PUDL and next steps for the long term sustainability of PUDL.