About
WattTime is a nonprofit organization on a mission to reduce global CO2 emissions by making electricity grid emissions data universally accessible. The platform provides actionable data signals—including marginal CO2, average CO2, and health damage metrics—covering over 200 countries and territories, enabling users to make smarter decisions about when, where, and how they use electricity. The platform focuses on three key levers for decarbonization: load shifting (optimizing when flexible devices like EVs, thermostats, water heaters, and batteries consume grid power), renewables siting (identifying grid regions where new wind and solar installations will displace the most emissions), and supply chain decarbonization (helping companies procure from lower-emitting energy suppliers). Together, these three strategies have the potential to eliminate over 9 gigatons of CO2 annually. WattTime offers a developer-friendly API with comprehensive documentation, making its emissions intelligence easy to integrate into energy management systems, IoT devices, enterprise software, and research tools. Data plans cater to a range of users from individual researchers to large enterprises. Partners include major organizations like Google and Nest. Ideal for energy technology companies, corporate sustainability teams, grid operators, academic researchers, and climate-focused developers who need reliable, granular emissions data to power cleaner decisions.
Key Features
- Global Emissions Data Coverage: Real-time and historical electricity grid emissions signals spanning 200+ countries and territories, including marginal CO2, average CO2, and health damage metrics.
- Developer API: A well-documented REST API that allows developers to integrate grid emissions intelligence directly into applications, IoT devices, and energy management platforms.
- Load Shifting Intelligence: Signals that help flexible electricity consumers—EVs, thermostats, batteries—shift demand to lower-emission grid moments, significantly cutting carbon output.
- Renewables Siting Analysis: Location-based emissions data that identifies where building new wind and solar capacity will displace the most CO2 for maximum climate impact.
- Supply Chain Decarbonization: Procurement intelligence that pinpoints surplus lower-emitting energy capacity, helping companies source cleaner electricity at no extra cost.
Use Cases
- An EV charging network uses WattTime's API to automatically schedule charging sessions during low-emissions grid windows, reducing the carbon footprint of each charge.
- A renewable energy developer uses WattTime's siting data to identify regions where new solar farms will displace the most CO2, optimizing investment decisions.
- A Fortune 500 company integrates WattTime's supply chain decarbonization data to procure electricity from lower-emitting suppliers without increasing energy costs.
- A smart thermostat manufacturer embeds WattTime signals to automatically pre-heat or pre-cool homes during cleaner grid periods, cutting household emissions.
- An academic research team uses WattTime's historical emissions data to study the relationship between grid carbon intensity and public health outcomes across regions.
Pros
- Unmatched Global Coverage: With data signals for 200+ countries and territories, WattTime offers the broadest geographic coverage of any grid emissions intelligence platform.
- Nonprofit Mission-Driven: As a nonprofit, WattTime prioritizes accessibility and real-world climate impact over profit, making credible data available to researchers, startups, and enterprises alike.
- Actionable API Integration: Clean, well-documented API makes it straightforward for developers to embed emissions intelligence into real-world products and workflows.
Cons
- Pricing Transparency: Data plan details and costs are not prominently displayed, requiring users to contact or sign up before understanding full pricing tiers.
- Specialized Use Case: The platform is highly focused on energy and emissions data, limiting its utility for organizations outside the clean energy, sustainability, or climate tech sectors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of data does WattTime provide?
WattTime provides real-time and historical electricity grid emissions signals including marginal CO2, average CO2, and health damage metrics, covering 200+ countries and territories worldwide.
How can developers access WattTime data?
WattTime offers a REST API with full documentation available on their website. Developers can sign up for a data plan and integrate emissions signals into their applications, devices, or platforms.
Is WattTime free to use?
WattTime offers multiple data plans, including options suitable for researchers and nonprofits. Some access levels may be available for free, while commercial or higher-volume use typically requires a paid plan.
What is load shifting and how does WattTime support it?
Load shifting means timing flexible electricity use—like EV charging or water heating—to moments when the grid is running on cleaner sources. WattTime's real-time marginal emissions signals tell devices exactly when to shift demand for maximum carbon reduction.
Who are WattTime's typical partners and customers?
WattTime partners with technology companies, utilities, grid operators, climate researchers, and enterprises. Notable partners include Google and Nest, and the platform is used by anyone integrating emissions intelligence into energy products or sustainability programs.
