Visualizing two sides of energy justice: mapping energy consumption and production

Energy justice (EJ) is a pillar learning objective in many courses on energy geography. Issues in EJ arise, broadly, from uneven distributions of energy production and consumption. The current era of data abundance, in which students can readily access online data in map viewers, or use data in mapping classes, opens new worlds of possibility for student inquiry into energy systems and their implications. But availability of spatial energy data and maps is uneven, and data on energy consumption is far less abundant and less detailed than data on production. As a consequence, consumption, and consumers, easily remain invisible as part of the energy system. Yet consumption can be an essential aspect of EJ issues. Here we discuss data resources that give insights into energy consumption, as well as production. We discuss how these data can support student exploration of EJ questions, with a focus on concepts of energy privilege and just transitions. We argue that these resources support essential and critical inquiry, to help students understand the geography of energy systems and raise essential questions of energy justice.