Program Data Viewer Reference Documentation
- Overview
- Data Sources and Collection Procedures
- Reporting Year/Calendar Year/Reporting Year
- Using the Viewer
- Viewer Graph Types
- Data Viewer Update Schedule and Procedures
- Common Questions
Overview
The Program Data Viewer is hosted by the Green Power Partnership (GPP). Users can view the aggregated data as well as filter select subcategories such as Partner size and industry. Users can determine the scope of the data presented including partnership type, resource mix, industry, partner size and others. Users may also download the aggregated data.
The EPA strives to offer transparency in all documents and data collection. This document describes all the data presented, including the method and procedure of collection.
The Program Data Viewer presented on the Green Power Partnership (GPP) website allows users to view green power usage and trends at the Partnership-wide level and by various categories, such as industry and Partner size. This document describes the information and data submitted by Partners in accordance with their voluntary participation in the EPA’s Green Power Partnership and how that information is presented on the Program Data Viewer. The Viewer supports the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to transparently document its data collection methodology and procedures.
Data Sources and Collection Procedures
All data presented in the Data Dashboard have been collected from Partners who are voluntarily participating in the EPA’s Green Power Partnership. EPA collects electricity and contract-level green power data from Partners once per year using the Partner Reporting Form. All Partners are required to report their electricity use and green power use over a 12-month reporting period (e.g. calendar year, fiscal year) of their choosing. EPA reviews submitted data for completeness and accuracy, but as a voluntary program EPA does not require Partners to verify their procurement details, such as through submittal of purchase invoices, utility bills or power purchase agreements.
Reporting period vs collection year vs calendar year
The Partnership Data is collected by EPA from Partners who, as a condition of partnership, are required to annually report to EPA their green power usage over a 12-month reporting period (e.g. calendar-year, fiscal-year, etc.) of their choosing. Because Partners’ reporting periods and the timing of their submissions vary, EPA catalogues and presents programmatic green power usage based on collection years, which represent information submitted by Partners for their most recent reporting period as of year-end for that respective collection year . For example, collection year 2020 represents the most recent Partner data submitted to EPA by December 31, 2020, which may contain some Partners’ fiscal year 2020 information and other Partners’ calendar year 2019 information. Collection year data at the Partnership-wide level does not represent green power consumed by all Partners within the same calendar year. The graphs presented in the Program Data Viewer are based on collection year data.
Using the Dashboard
Chart Functionality
The dashboard contains two graphs that provide users an easy-to-interpret overview of the status and trends in the voluntary green power use by EPA Green Power Partners, which are likely reflective of trends in the larger voluntary green power market. To learn more about the Partners and voluntary green power market, visit the EPA's Green Power Partnership webpage.
For the best user experience with the dashboard, we recommend setting the browser zoom level between 80 and 90%. If you are having trouble viewing parts of the dashboard, you can try experimenting with this zoom level.
Expand any graph to full screen by clicking the crossed arrows icon 
Download the underlying data from each graph view in Excel format by selecting the download arrow icon 
View underlying data for any chart by selecting the dropdown displaying the graph name and choosing "Details" to display a preview table of the selected data. Note that this table preview is interactive and data fields can be sorted by clicking the column name and searched by clicking the magnifying glass at the top right of each column. We suggest expanding this view to full-screen to best view the data table. Also note that the Details table can be slower to load than the other graphs.
Filters
The viewer defaults to show Partnership-wide activity and performance metrics since the start of the program in 2001. Six filters are available at the top of the viewer, which allow users to customize the graphs to meet their needs.
Click on any of the filters to see the list of values. Note that after selecting a filter, a search bar will appear that allows users to search for values of interest. The user can click multiple values within one filter. Current selections will be highlighted in green. The charts dynamically update as the user selects value(s) from the filter dropdown list.
Note that the Cancel Selections button does not clear filter selections. An individual filter can be cleared of all selections by clicking the Clear Selections button 
Additionally, the viewer graphs are interactive, and users can click directly on data within the graphs (e.g., the bars on the graph and the items in the graph legend) to change or add filters.
Current filter selections will appear as tabs at the top of the frame inside the green horizontal bar Clicking on the "x" button on the filter tab will remove the filter.
Filters available on the Program Data Viewer include:
Industry
Filter the dashboard data by Industry. Partners self-report their industry when they join the Green Power Partnership, and then again each year when they submit an annual update. Industry definitions can be found here.
Partner Size
Filter the viewer data by Partner Size, which is defined by the Green Power Partnership as very large, large, medium and small and is based on a Partner’s annual electric load.
- Very Large = >100,000,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) electricity/year
- Large = 10,000,001 – 100,000,000 kWh electricity/year
- Medium = 1,000,000 – 10,000,000 kWh electricity/year
- Small = <1,000,000 kWh electricity/year
- Not Available = Partners’ electricity use data for years prior to 2009 are not accessible in EPA’s current data management system and therefore are defined as “N/A”.
Supply Option
Filter the viewer data by the use a particular green power supply option. EPA categorizes supply options as:
- RECs = retail renewable energy certificates (RECs)
- Competitive = competitive green power products
- Utility = utility green power products
- CCA = community choice aggregation
- Self-supply = self-supply
- Tariff = utility green tariff
- Shared = shared renewables
- Physical PPA = physical power purchase agreement
- Financial PPA = financial power purchase agreement
For more information on how EPA defines supply options, visit the Green Power Partnership Requirements webpage.
Renewable Resource
Filter the viewer data by the use of a particular renewable energy resource. EPA categorizes renewable resources as:
- Biogas
- Biomass
- Geothermal
- Small-hydro
- Solar
- Wind
- Unspecified
For more information on renewable energy resources considered green power by EPA, visit the Green Power Partnership Requirements webpage. Note, some Partner’s green power use from certain supply options (e.g. RECs) may be sourced from an unspecified renewable resource at the time of purchase to reduce the cost for the purchaser by providing the supplier with flexibility in sourcing. Ultimately in these cases, the exact resource mix and projects supplying the Partner’s green power is conveyed through an attestation form. However, because this happens at a later time the green power reported to EPA is categorized as “unspecified”. In addition, Partners’ green power use data by renewable resource for collection years prior to 2009 are not accessible in EPA’s current data management system and therefore are defined as “Unknown”.
Provider
Filter the dashboard data by the Provider supplying the green power to Partners.
Third-Party Certified
Filter the dashboard data by the certification status of the green power.
State
Filter the viewer data by State that the partnering entity resides in. For example, if a national retail chain that is a Partner and using 100% green power is headquartered in New Jersey, all of its green power would be attributed to New Jersey even through in reality its green power use is occurring at locations throughout the country.
Viewer Graph Types
The following describes the two graphs available within the Green Power Partnership Data Dashboard.
- Green Power Use by Supply Option by Collection Year: A stacked bar graph showing total green power use (kWh/collection year) broken out by the supply option delivering the green power.
- Green Power Use by Resource by Collection Year: A stacked bar graph showing total green power use (kWh/collection year) broken out by the renewable resource.
Program Data Viewer Update Schedule and Procedures
EPA updates the Viewer with new collection year data in approximately February following the end of the collection year. EPA may, if warranted, make additional updates to the dashboard if EPA finds that past collection year information submitted by a Partner(s) was significantly inaccurate or incomplete. Note, when data updates are made there may be some minor revisions to previous collection years’ data.
Common Questions
Coming Soon.