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Home > Blog > Data Visualizations >

What is an Energy Flow Diagram & How to Create it?

You will agree with us when we say:

It’s INCREDIBLY hard to visualize data with energy flow characteristics.

It turns out there’s a chart that’s strategically positioned to visualize data with flow characteristics. Besides, this chart is amazingly easy to read and interpret. The chart we’re talking about is called an energy flow diagram.

Energy Flow Diagram
Source: ChartExpo.com

So if you intend to create a compelling data story for your audience, you don’t have to worry. Yes, don’t worry about the best chart to use to present your insights to the audience.

This blog will walk you through energy flow diagram examples, how to use them to uncover patterns in your data, practical use, and most importantly, the best visualization tool to use.

You don’t want to miss this if you plan on taking your data storytelling skills to the expert level by using a visualization tool which we will discuss later in this blog.

Let’s get right into it.

Table of Content:

  1. What is an Energy Flow Diagram(EFD)?
  2. Video Tutorials: How to Create Energy Flow Diagram
  3. Why is an Energy Flow Chart Important?
  4. What is the Direction of Energy Flow?
  5. Uses of Diagram of Energy Flow
  6. Elements of Energy Flow Diagram
  7. Energy Flow Diagram Examples
  8. How to Create an Energy Flow Diagram: Step-By-Step
  9. Advantages of Using Energy Flow Diagram
  10. Energy Flow Diagrams: Best Practices
  11. Energy Flow Diagrams: FAQs 
  12. Wrap Up

What is an Energy Flow Diagram(EFD)?

Definition: An energy flow diagram tracks the energy flow from raw or primary sources of energy up to the final stage (consumption).

In other words, this Diagram is a directional flow chart where the width of the streams is proportional to the quantity of flow. And where the flows can combine, split, and be traced through a series of events or stages.

Energy Flow Diagram Visualization
Source: ChartExpo.com

Flows in the diagram can show energy, materials, fluids, or costs.

In this blog, we’ll focus primarily on energy flow.

The chart visualizes energy and its transformation visually and quantitatively. This includes primary energy (raw energy materials) fed into a system, energy supply, transformation, losses, and uses.

So, if used effectively, it’s arguably the best visualization to use in a data story, especially when formulating energy policies for a country or state.

Video Tutorials: How to Create Energy Flow Diagram (EFD)

How to Create an Energy Flow Diagram in Excel?

In the following video, you will learn how to create an energy flow diagram in a few clicks without coding.

How to Create an Energy Flow Diagram in Google Sheets?

Why is an Energy Flow Chart Important?

An Energy Flow Chart is important because it visually represents how energy moves through a system, making it easier to understand and analyze the distribution and efficiency of energy use. Key reasons include:

  1. Efficiency Assessment: It helps identify energy losses and inefficiencies in a process, allowing for targeted improvements.
  2. Cost Management: By tracking energy consumption across various stages or systems, businesses can optimize energy usage and reduce operational costs.
  3. Sustainability: It supports sustainability initiatives by highlighting areas for energy conservation and more eco-friendly practices.
  4. Decision Making: It provides clear data to help stakeholders make informed decisions about energy investments or system upgrades.
  5. Communication Tool: It acts as a visual aid to communicate complex energy data to non-experts, such as policymakers or the general public.

What is the Direction of Energy Flow?

In an Energy Flow Diagram (EFD), the direction of energy flow is typically shown using arrows that represent the movement or transfer of energy through various components or systems.

The arrows indicate the path along which energy travels, from the source (e.g., fuel, electricity, or solar energy) to the end-user (e.g., heating, mechanical work, or electrical output).

Key points about energy flow direction in an EFD include:

  1. Source to Destination: Energy flows from a starting point (source) to its destination (end-use) or through different processes like transformation, storage, or distribution.
  2. Processes/Transformations: In the diagram, energy may be converted from one form to another (e.g., from chemical to thermal or electrical to mechanical).
  3. Energy Losses: Some energy may be lost in the form of heat or other inefficiencies, often represented with arrows pointing away from the system to indicate dissipation.
  4. Circular Flow: In some cases, energy may be recirculated or reused in the system, forming a loop or cycle.

Uses of Diagram of Energy Flow

Energy Management

Helps in identifying energy sources, tracking consumption, and pinpointing areas for optimization to improve efficiency and reduce waste.

Sustainability Planning

Assists in visualizing energy flows about renewable energy sources, energy storage, and energy conservation efforts to support sustainability goals.

Educational Tool

Used in schools and universities to teach students about energy dynamics, such as how energy flows in ecosystems, industrial processes, or even human-made systems like buildings.

Process Optimization

Engineers and analysts use it to evaluate industrial processes, find areas of energy loss, and redesign systems to improve overall energy use.

Environmental Impact Assessment

Helps in assessing the environmental footprint of various processes by showing how energy is consumed and its potential effects on the environment.

Policy Development

Policymakers use energy flow diagrams to understand national or regional energy systems, supporting informed decisions about energy regulations, subsidies, and infrastructure development.

Energy System Design

In designing new systems or upgrading existing ones, energy flow diagrams guide decisions on energy generation, distribution, and consumption.

Elements of Energy Flow Diagram

  1. Energy Sources: The initial points where energy enters the system, such as solar, fuel, or electricity.
  2. Energy Transfers: Pathways showing how energy moves from one point to another within the system.
  3. Energy Conversions: The process of transforming energy from one form to another, like converting chemical energy to heat or electrical energy.
  4. Energy Losses: Areas where energy is lost, often as waste heat, sound, or light, indicating inefficiencies in the system.
  5. Energy Outputs: The final use or output of energy, such as mechanical work, heat, or electricity in a device or system.

Energy Flow Diagram Examples

The chart visualizes the flow of material, energy, cost, or any measurable resource. Besides, it draws the attention of the audience to the most significant flows, consumers, losses, etc.

Remember, you can also call it an energy flow diagram or Sankey Diagram.

Example# 1

Energy flow diagram
Source: ChartExpo.com

This chart uses links and nodes to communicate insights. Essentially, the width of a flow is proportional to its quantity.

The key to reading and interpreting the chart is remembering that the width is proportional to the quantity represented.

Note: The width of the lines and arrows represent amounts or volumes of resources.

Example# 2

Energy flow diagram
Source: ChartExpo.com

As we said earlier, the energy flow chart summarizes all the energy transfers in a process.

Keep in mind: the thicker the line or arrow, the greater the amount of energy involved.

Take a look at the energy flow chart example above.

It visualizes the domestic use of power in a home. The 3 main categories of the chart include the following:

  • The main source
  • Rooms
  • Devices

Let’s analyze the chart real quick.

  • The biggest energy consumers (in the devices category) in the home are the AC, oven, and stove.
  • The biggest consumer of energy (in the rooms category) in the home is the kitchen.

How to Create an Energy Flow Diagram: Step-By-Step

Imagine you’ve been tasked by the Energy Commission of a hypothetical country to analyze their gigantic data. They want to know various details about domestic energy consumption, namely:

  • The contribution of each energy-generating source
  • The amount of energy lost
  • The energy contribution of cleaner and greener sources
  • Common uses of energy by consumer segments (commercial versus domestic use)

The Energy Commission wants a data story to use for the forthcoming launch of its 10-year Plan. The table below has the sample data we’ll use for the scenario above.

Note: the table below is pretty long to show you that a chart can visualize gigantic data sets without obscuring key insights.

Apologies in advance if you find the table below weirdly long.

Energy Type Main Source Source type Energy Source Usage End-User Megawatt
Agricultural waste Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Losses in process Lost 5
Agricultural waste Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Industry 7.3
Agricultural waste Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – commercial 5.1
Agricultural waste Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – homes 3.7
Agricultural waste Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – commercial 4.9
Agricultural waste Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – homes 2
Other waste Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Losses in process Lost 7.2
Other waste Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Industry 5.4
Other waste Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – commercial 6.7
Other waste Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – homes 4.8
Other waste Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – commercial 7.4
Other waste Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – homes 2.5
Marina algae Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Losses in process Lost 0.7
Marina algae Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Industry 0.5
Marina algae Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – commercial 0.9
Marina algae Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – homes 0.5
Marina algae Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – commercial 0.8
Marina algae Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – homes 0.6
Land-based bioenergy Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Losses in process Lost 1.3
Land-based bioenergy Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Industry 2.5
Land-based bioenergy Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – commercial 3.2
Land-based bioenergy Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – homes 0.7
Land-based bioenergy Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – commercial 1.4
Land-based bioenergy Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – homes 0.9
Biomass import Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Losses in process Lost 0.4
Biomass import Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Industry 0.7
Biomass import Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – commercial 0.8
Biomass import Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – homes 0.3
Biomass import Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – commercial 0.6
Biomass import Bio-conversion Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – homes 0.2
Nuclear reserves Nuclear Plant Solid Thermal generation Losses in process Lost 50
Nuclear reserves Nuclear Plant Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Industry 13
Nuclear reserves Nuclear Plant Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – commercial 8
Nuclear reserves Nuclear Plant Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – homes 6
Nuclear reserves Nuclear Plant Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – commercial 11
Nuclear reserves Nuclear Plant Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – homes 4
Coal reserves Coal Solid Thermal generation Losses in process Lost 4.7
Coal reserves Coal Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Industry 3.1
Coal reserves Coal Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – commercial 4.2
Coal reserves Coal Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – homes 0.7
Coal reserves Coal Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – commercial 4.8
Coal reserves Coal Solid Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – homes 0.5
Gas reserves Natural Gas Gas Thermal generation Losses in process Lost 5.1
Gas reserves Natural Gas Gas Thermal generation Electricity grid Industry 8.4
Gas reserves Natural Gas Gas Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – commercial 7.9
Gas reserves Natural Gas Gas Thermal generation Electricity grid Heating and cooling – homes 4.8
Gas reserves Natural Gas Gas Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – commercial 7.3
Gas reserves Natural Gas Gas Thermal generation Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – homes 3.5
Green energy Hydro Dams Electricity production Losses in process Lost 9.8
Green energy Hydro Dams Electricity production Electricity grid Industry 7.5
Green energy Hydro Dams Electricity production Electricity grid Heating and cooling – commercial 6.7
Green energy Hydro Dams Electricity production Electricity grid Heating and cooling – homes 5.3
Green energy Hydro Dams Electricity production Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – commercial 8.9
Green energy Hydro Dams Electricity production Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – homes 6.8
Green energy Tidal Through Sea Electricity production Losses in process Lost 0.3
Green energy Tidal Through Sea Electricity production Electricity grid Industry 0.5
Green energy Tidal Through Sea Electricity production Electricity grid Heating and cooling – commercial 0.4
Green energy Tidal Through Sea Electricity production Electricity grid Heating and cooling – homes 0.1
Green energy Tidal Through Sea Electricity production Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – commercial 0.5
Green energy Tidal Through Sea Electricity production Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – homes 0.2
Green energy Wave Through Sea Electricity production Losses in process Lost 0.8
Green energy Wave Through Sea Electricity production Electricity grid Industry 0.7
Green energy Wave Through Sea Electricity production Electricity grid Heating and cooling – commercial 0.9
Green energy Wave Through Sea Electricity production Electricity grid Heating and cooling – homes 0.3
Green energy Wave Through Sea Electricity production Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – commercial 0.5
Green energy Wave Through Sea Electricity production Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – homes 0.3
Green energy Wind Wind Power Plant Electricity production Losses in process Lost 3.7
Green energy Wind Wind Power Plant Electricity production Electricity grid Industry 17.9
Green energy Wind Wind Power Plant Electricity production Electricity grid Heating and cooling – commercial 18.1
Green energy Wind Wind Power Plant Electricity production Electricity grid Heating and cooling – homes 5.8
Green energy Wind Wind Power Plant Electricity production Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – commercial 5.5
Green energy Wind Wind Power Plant Electricity production Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – homes 4
Green energy Solar Solar Power Plant Electricity production Losses in process Lost 1.7
Green energy Solar Solar Power Plant Electricity production Electricity grid Industry 5.9
Green energy Solar Solar Power Plant Electricity production Electricity grid Heating and cooling – commercial 5.4
Green energy Solar Solar Power Plant Electricity production Electricity grid Heating and cooling – homes 2.2
Green energy Solar Solar Power Plant Electricity production Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – commercial 4.1
Green energy Solar Solar Power Plant Electricity production Electricity grid Lighting & appliances – homes 0.7

If you have not installed the ChartExpo in Google Sheets yet then you are missing a lot of visualization to be explored. You can create many complex visualizations in a few clicks without coding using ChartExpo Add-on. 

To Get Started with ChartExpo for Google Sheets Add-on, follow the Simple and Easy Steps Below.

  • Open your Google Sheets application.
  • Open the worksheet and click on the Extension menu.
  • Once the Charts, Graphs & Visualizations by ChartExpo drop-down menu shows, click the Open button.
Energy flow diagram
  • Now you can start using ChartExpo for Google Sheets
  • Click on the Add New Chart to continue, as shown below:
Energy flow diagram
  • You’ll see a list of visual charts.
Energy flow diagram

You can copy your data sheet and then select the chart from the list.

Energy flow diagram
  • Select Sheet Name, and then click on Add new metric. In our case, the primary metric is energy value in Mega Watts.
  • Click on Add new dimension and then add the variables: Energy Type, Main Source, Source Type, Energy Source, Usage, and End User.
  • Click on Create Chart, as shown below.
Energy flow diagram

Let’s check out the resulting chart.

Energy flow diagram

This is how you will have the first look at your visualization based on your data. Now you can click on any node to change the position according to your requirements. Even you can click on the Edit Chart button to see different properties like changing colors etc.

Energy flow diagram

Once you select all the colors and put a heading according to your need, you will get the final look as shown below.

Energy flow diagram
Source: ChartExpo.com

Insights:

A huge chunk of Nuclear energy is getting wasted. The good news is only 26% of the country’s overall energy needs are harnessed from nuclear sources.

36% of the country’s energy comes from greener sources.

Advantages of Using Energy Flow Diagram

  • Pattern and Trend Analysis: Use the charts to visualize production, usage, losses, and cost analyses of energy. If you analyze the chart side by side if you have old data visualization and new data, you can infer it for forecasting purposes as well.
  • Uncover Productivity and Efficiency: The main focus of any visualization is to empower optimization in productivity and efficiency. With energy flow charts, your audience can identify the most productive and efficient sources and consumers of energy.
  • Improves Reporting: Data storytelling in reports is the most obvious use of data visualizations. A flow diagram improves your report by providing key insights in the simplest way possible. Essentially, your readers won’t struggle to understand the key insights forming the backbone of your data story.
  • Promotes Simplicity and Clarity: As we said earlier, the charts lend clarity and simplicity. Essentially, even non-technical audiences can understand your data story if you use this chart strategically.

Energy Flow Diagrams: Best Practices

  1. Simplify the Design: Keep the diagram clear and simple by focusing on the most critical elements. Avoid overcrowding with too many details, as it can lead to confusion.
  2. Use Clear Symbols and Labels: Employ standard symbols and clear labeling for energy sources, conversions, and outputs. This ensures that the diagram is easily understandable by all stakeholders.
  3. Highlight Energy Losses: Identify and emphasize areas where energy is lost or wasted. This can help pinpoint inefficiencies and opportunities for optimization.
  4. Ensure Proper Scaling: Use appropriate scaling for energy quantities to visually represent the magnitude of different flows accurately, making the diagram more informative.
  5. Include Feedback Mechanisms: If applicable, show feedback loops that regulate energy flow. This helps in understanding dynamic systems where energy adjustments are made based on system performance.

Energy Flow Diagrams: FAQs

What are the 4 stages of energy flow?

  1. Energy Input: Energy is introduced into a system from external sources (e.g., sunlight, fuel).
  2. Energy Conversion: Energy is transformed from one form to another (e.g., chemical to thermal energy).
  3. Energy Transfer: Energy moves through the system to where it is needed.
  4. Energy Output: Energy is used to perform work or is released as waste (e.g., mechanical work, heat).

How does an energy diagram work?

An energy diagram visually represents the flow of energy through a system. It shows energy inputs, transformations, transfers, losses, and outputs, helping to track energy use, identify inefficiencies, and optimize performance.

The diagram typically uses arrows, symbols, and labels to illustrate how energy moves and changes form within the system.

Wrap Up:

As we said earlier, you don’t have to struggle to visualize data with energy flow characteristics.

Use the energy flow diagram to visualize this type of data because it’s amazingly easy to read and interpret, especially in data stories. The flow diagram visualizes the flow of material, energy, cost, or any measurable resource.

The key to reading and interpreting the diagrams is noting that the width is proportional to the quantity represented.

If used effectively, it’s arguably the best visualization to use in a data story, especially when formulating energy policies for a country or state.

With the energy flow diagram, you can achieve the following:

  • Quick trends, flows, and patterns analysis
  • Uncover productivity and efficiency insights
  • Create compelling reports
  • Clarity and simplicity, especially when communicating key insights

The best tool to use to create Energy flow Diagrams is ChartExpo. Sign Up today to visualize energy flow data without having to waste your valuable time.

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