How to navigate Energy I-SPARK:
Energy I-SPARK is a curated data aggregation, research, and analysis enabling platform. It makes valuable market structure and knowledge condition information on energy value chains accessible to decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and analysts. The exploration interface that allows the user to compare industry value chains, gaining insight on their relation to policy and innovation. Data are presented in the following four major categories, described in detail below: 1) descriptive information, 2) innovative outcomes, 3) strategic conditions, and 4) knowledge conditions.
The structure of Energy I-SPARK is based on the value chain below, which illustrates the flows of energy, money, and knowledge between the actors associated with the stages of production and operation of electricity generating systems.
At the top of this page, there are drop-down menus for Generation and Power Markets. Selecting an item from one of these drop-down menus will bring up a page with summary information on the value chain segment. After choosing a value chain segment, select a data category to view more detailed information. Data categories (descriptive information, innovative outcomes, strategic conditions, knowledge conditions) can be selected using the column of buttons to the left of this display window.
Data categories:
Descriptive Information
The descriptive information tab is intended to orient the user within the value chain; it provides a basic snapshot of the selected value chain segment. Generally, this includes a definition of the technology (or process) of interest, discussion of the primary firms contributing to the sector, and discussion of the relationship between the current step and the rest of the value chain. We include overview figures and charts where available and relevant.
Strategic Conditions
The strategic conditions tab provides greater detail on the market players in the selected step of the value chain; it provides discussion of Porter’s five forces, as they relate to the value chain step (i.e., industry rivalry, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers). It includes data on firm market shares, revenue, metrics of production (e.g., units manufactured, installations completed, etc.), as well as discussion of the policy environment.
Innovative Outcomes
The innovative outcomes tab is intended to aid the user in exploring the results of innovative activity (e.g., the direction and rate of technological change) within the selected value chain step; it provides information relating to the dominant design of the technology (or process) and to emerging technologies and methods, allowing analysis of incumbents versus new entrants to the industry. We include data on costs, performance, production levels, and other quality attributes when possible.
Knowledge Conditions
The knowledge conditions tab focuses on the production of knowledge and knowledge spillovers relevant to the selected value chain step; it provides discussion of technology and non-technology based knowledge, patenting (or propensity to forgo patenting), and research and development.