CommonGrid: open source registry maps US power grid
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Texture, a software company, launched CommonGrid, a public registry of U.S. energy infrastructure, after struggling to find consolidated information on demand response programs for electric cooperatives.
Cyril, Texture’s Director of Market Development, initially sought details about available programs, participating devices, and terms, but discovered information was scattered across various websites and filings. Recognizing that a wealth of public grid data requires significant effort to clean, connect, and update, Texture created CommonGrid as a shared, editable model.
The project maps utilities, power plants, transmission lines, and other grid components, linking them through relationships like service territories and market operators. Users can explore the data visually, query it through an API, or download it for their own purposes. Texture open-sourced CommonGrid, releasing the normalized data under the Open Database License, the same license used by OpenStreetMap. This allows anyone to use, modify, and redistribute the data while contributing improvements back to the community.
The company built the registry to function like a wiki, allowing users to propose changes that are reviewed by moderators, ensuring accuracy and transparency through version history and source tracking. Texture intends for the community to maintain the registry long-term, with individuals and organizations closest to the data contributing corrections and expertise.
