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Environmental Science

Geospatial Science Fuels Renewable Energy Development Studies

EVS has been using geospatial technologies and databases for environmental analysis of renewable energy technologies and programs for over 30 years.

The geographic context of energy and environmental issues is so fundamental to decision making that EVS projects often employ geospatial data, tools, analysis, modeling, and visualization. Our geospatial work includes:

  • Developing extensive geospatial libraries of energy and environmental data to support our work,
  • Analysis of impacts of potential projects and programs with a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers,
  • Creating models to simulate energy and environmental processes, and
  • Implementing web-based and desktop tools to help stakeholders understand issues and participate in decision making.

Our geospatial libraries are actively maintained to support a diverse mix of projects both internally and externally. EVS has a team of experts in geospatial science disciplines as well as a number of other staff who use GIS in their respective scientific disciplines. Apart from foundational GIS activities such as cartography and data processing, we specialize in advanced analysis and modeling, such as individual-based models of trout in stream ecosystems and finding suitable locations for energy projects. Our web development team creates online tools for geospatial visualization, analysis, and modeling, reaching a wide audience.

Geospatial Data Viewers

Geospatial Energy Mapper

Geospatial Energy Mapper (GEM) is an updated version of the Energy Zones Mapping Tool (EZMT). GEM is an online energy planning tool with over 240 mapping layers, 100 modeling criteria, and has models for mapping suitability of 40 types of energy infrastructure.

GEM interface showing wind and solar power plant locations with photovoltaic solar potential. (Image by Argonne National Laboratory.)

Section 368 Energy Corridor Mapping Tool

The Section 368 Energy Corridor Mapping Tool helps stakeholders learn more about these energy corridors in the western United States, by:

  • Facilitating the use and management of West-wide energy corridors for energy transportation,
  • Providing data on the energy corridors and existing electric transmission line infrastructure,
  • Providing data on natural and cultural resources within and adjacent to the corridors, and
  • Simplifying feedback on corridor reviews through online commenting and access to corridor abstracts.

More Section 368 Energy Corridor resources are available on the West-wide Energy Corridor Information Center website.

User interface of the Section 368 Energy Corridor Mapping Tool. (Image by Argonne National Laboratory.)

SUPERBEEST

SUPERBEEST focuses on perennial bioenergy crop planning in the Midwest, including identifying and assessing marginal farmland based on 7 economic or environmental marginality factors, and mapping candidate locations for saturated bioenergy buffers.

SUPERBEEST interface showing categories of marginal agricultural lands in the Midwest which may be viable for bioenergy crops. (Image by Argonne National Laboratory.)