Smart Data Platform (EDX)

In order to advance energy innovations researchers require trustworthy, authoritative data. An enormous amount of energy-related data is already in the public domain. However, scientists spend nearly 80% of their time acquiring, cleaning, and organizing data. When too much time is spent searching for information instead of analyzing it and making decisions, time and money are lost.

Over the last decade, NETL has addressed this challenge by successfully developing a smart data platform called the Energy Data eXchange (EDX®). EDX is DOE’s repository for securely storing, curating, and using/reusing data to advance energy R&D. It is a virtual library and laboratory of data resources and can be used differently by different user types (e.g. researchers, managers, IT, public affairs, project managers, librarians/curators, etc). The platform is designed to evolve and adapt to its user community’s needs. Its user-friendly features are accessible via a web user interface by anyone with access to a web browser.

EDX is supported by a robust and widely used content management system and follows the entire lifecycle of R&D from initiation, to completion, to curation, to reuse by others. It also aligns with DOE/NETL ITD and cybersecurity requirements and protocols. Leveraging the EDX foundation, SAMI is designing a “Data Fabric” that covers all the data needs throughout a project’s lifecycle for various use cases and environments, called EDX. EDX is an integrated capability for preserving and securing all data generated by DOE/NETL and applied energy research projects. It makes the data accessible to human clients through a graphical user interface (GUI) and software clients through an application programming interface (API). The goal is to enable knowledge discovery by stakeholders from government, industry, universities, and national labs.

SAMI is devoted to protecting data privacy and security as well as reusing the data. EDX will enable users to use AI/ML to capture complex energy systems’ behaviors. This data will significantly improve the scientific community’s understanding and work toward the goal of accelerating decision-making and more efficient designs. NETL’s efforts to improve AI/ML with DOE will lead to securing more affordable and reliable energy for the nation.

EDX is building next-gen DOE data computing by connecting the data with scientific computing resources.