Privacy Policy
Bywatts is a free, public database and interactive map of US energy infrastructure. We built it to be data-minimal: we do not run analytics, we do not use advertising or tracking pixels, we do not sell personal information, and we set no cookies beyond remembering your own consent choice. The only personal data we process is your IP address, and only as described below.
Who we are
Bywatts (bywatts.pro) is operated by Sunhub. For the purposes of the EU and UK General Data Protection Regulation, Sunhub is the data controller for personal data processed through this site. You can reach our privacy contact at [email protected].
What we collect
We deliberately collect as little as possible. In normal use of the site we process:
- Your IP address and basic request metadata (the page requested, timestamp, browser user-agent). This is inherent to how any website is served and is handled by our hosting provider to deliver and secure the site.
- An aggregate visit count. To avoid double-counting the same visitor, our counter briefly records a one-way (irreversible) hash of your IP address for up to five minutes, then discards it. We never store your raw IP for this purpose and never link it to your identity.
- Your cookie-consent choice, if you set one — stored in a first-party record on your own device so we can honor it. See the Cookie Policy.
We do not collect names, emails, accounts, payment details, or location beyond what an IP address inherently implies. We run no analytics, advertising, fingerprinting, or third-party tracking.
Why we process it (legal bases)
Under GDPR Article 6 we rely on:
- Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)) — serving and securing the site, preventing abuse, and counting visits in aggregate. These interests are balanced against your rights; the processing is minimal, short-lived, and not used to profile you.
- Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)) — only if we ever introduce optional cookies or analytics, which would be off by default and gated behind the consent banner. None are active today.
Third parties who receive data
Loading any web page reveals your IP address to whoever serves its content. We keep this list short and name every one:
| Provider | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | Hosting, CDN, security (data processor) | IP address, request metadata |
| CARTO | Map basemap tiles (on the map only) | IP address when the map loads |
| Esri / ArcGIS | Satellite basemap tiles (map, if selected) | IP address when that basemap loads |
| unpkg (CDN) | Serves the MapLibre GL map library | IP address when the map loads |
None of these are advertising networks, and we do not share data with them for marketing. We do not sell personal information to anyone. Our fonts are served first-party from our own domain, so no font provider receives your IP address.
Retention
- The visit-count IP hash is deleted automatically within five minutes.
- Server and security logs are retained by our host for a short period under their standard policy and then rotated out.
- Your cookie-consent choice persists on your device until it expires (about six months) or you clear it.
Your rights (GDPR / UK GDPR)
If you are in the EU, EEA, or UK, you have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict, or object to processing of your personal data, the right to data portability, and the right to withdraw consent at any time. Because we hold no data that identifies you (only a transient IP hash), we may be unable to locate data tied to a specific person, but we will help where we can. To exercise a right, email [email protected]. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.
Your rights (California — CCPA/CPRA)
If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (as amended by the CPRA) gives you the right to know what personal information we collect, to delete it, to correct it, and to opt out of its sale or sharing. The only category of personal information we collect is identifiers (IP address), used solely to serve and secure the site and count visits.
We do not sell or share your personal information, and we do not use it for cross-context behavioral advertising. Because we do not sell or share, there is nothing to opt out of — but we still honor the Global Privacy Control (GPC) browser signal as an opt-out of any future sharing. We will not discriminate against you for exercising any privacy right. To make a request, email [email protected].
International transfers
The site is hosted in the United States, and the providers above may process data in the US and other countries. Where required, those providers rely on Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent safeguards for transfers out of the EU/EEA and UK.
Children
Bywatts is a business-and-infrastructure reference tool intended for a general professional audience. It is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 16.
Changes
If our data practices change — for example, if we ever add optional analytics — we will update this page and the “last updated” date above, and where the change is material we will surface it through the consent banner.
Contact
Questions about this policy or your data: [email protected]. See also our Cookie Policy and Terms of Service.
This document is provided by Sunhub for transparency and is not legal advice. Questions: [email protected].