Electricity Flow Sankey Diagram: Editable Template
An electricity Sankey from generation sources through the grid to residential, commercial and industrial use, with network losses shown. Illustrative figures to replace.
An electricity flow Sankey follows generation from each source into the grid and out to the sectors that use it. Network losses are drawn as their own ribbon, so the gap between what is generated and what is delivered is visible.
Four sources, wind, solar, gas and hydro, feed one grid node. From the grid, electricity goes to residential, commercial and industrial users, and a share is lost in transmission and distribution. Residential use is broken out further into heating, appliances and lighting.
The quantities are invented and in GWh. They are chosen to balance, not to describe any country or utility. Replace them with metered or published statistics, and cite your source on the chart you publish.
How to read this diagram
- 1,000 GWh enter the grid: wind 420, gas 300, solar 180 and hydro 100.
- 60 GWh, 6% in this example, is lost on the way to users and delivered as nothing.
- Residential is the largest sector at 340; appliances and heating together are most of it.
- Commercial and industrial are shown as one ribbon each. Break them out the same way if you need to.
The data behind it
Invented figures in GWh for one year. They are not statistics for any real grid.
| From | To | Amount (GWh) |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | Grid | 420 |
| Solar | Grid | 180 |
| Gas | Grid | 300 |
| Hydro | Grid | 100 |
| Grid | Network losses | 60 |
| Grid | Residential | 340 |
| Grid | Commercial | 310 |
| Grid | Industrial | 290 |
| Residential | Heating | 130 |
| Residential | Appliances | 140 |
| Residential | Lighting | 70 |
The same data as CSV
source,target,value
Wind,Grid,420
Solar,Grid,180
Gas,Grid,300
Hydro,Grid,100
Grid,Network losses,60
Grid,Residential,340
Grid,Commercial,310
Grid,Industrial,290
Residential,Heating,130
Residential,Appliances,140
Residential,Lighting,70How it works
List the generation sources
Add each source with its annual output in one unit.
Send them through the grid
Add a grid node and flows from every source. Add a flow to a losses node for what does not reach users.
Split delivery by sector and use
Add the sectors, then the end uses under the ones you want to examine. Check that each node balances.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use real national figures?
Yes, from a published source such as a national energy agency. Cite the source and year on the chart you publish.
How do I show electricity that is exported?
Add an Exports node as another flow out of the grid.
Edit this electricity Sankey
Open the template as your own chart and enter your sources, losses and uses.