Methodology and data sources

Everything on Bywatts comes from a named source. This page says where each dataset comes from, how often it refreshes, and exactly what our labels mean.

Where the data comes from

DatasetSourceRefresh
Power plantsHIFLD (US government, public domain)On demand, re-run against the source
SubstationsHIFLD (US government, public domain)On demand, re-run against the source
Transmission linesHIFLD (US government, public domain)On demand, re-run against the source
Electricity statisticsEIA (US Energy Information Administration)On demand, re-run against the source
Data centersPeeringDBOn demand, re-run against the source
Solar companiesDirect Energy Partners industry directoryOn demand, re-run against the source
Solar installersNational installer mastersheet, geocoded and deduplicatedOn demand, re-run against the source

What our labels mean

Verified

The listing's owner proved they control the company's own web domain by signing in with an email at that domain. Verification is free, it is earned, and it cannot be bought. A paid plan never grants it.

Owner-provided

Information a verified owner supplied about their own listing, such as a description, phone number, or service areas. We do not independently check it. Owner edits never overwrite the underlying source record, so the original data stays intact.

Sponsored and Featured

A paid placement on a directory page. It is advertising. It is not an endorsement, it is not a quality ranking, and it says nothing about whether the listing is verified.

What we do not do

Corrections

If something here is wrong, tell us and we will fix it. Owners can claim their listing to correct it directly, or anyone can use support.