Mapping Energy: Cartographies of Energy Into The Twenty‐First Century

Abstract

“Energy” presents a number of complex and interrelated challenges regarding the environment, economy, and politics. In this paper, we argue that cartography should help clarify our understanding of energy issues, but ask whether this has in fact been the case. In a review of over 100 articles pulled from twenty‐three peer‐reviewed geography journals, we qualitatively assess energy maps published since the early 20^th century, examining trends in topic and cartographic technique. Energy maps in geography journals have focused on North America and Western Europe while relying on proportional symbols, grayscale production, and the analysis of energy phenomena at the national scale—tendencies that in many instances have limited our understanding of the ways in which energy is actually consumed. Simultaneously, cartographers are limited to the energy data available to them, frequently precluding small‐scale consumption analysis or consideration of diurnal and seasonal trends. We argue that the future of energy cartography relies on access to consumption data coupled with greater user interactivity.

• cartography
• data access and availability
• energy studies

Notes

1. Journals surveyed: Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Antipode, Area, Cultural Geographies, Economic Geography, Environment and Planning A, Environment and Planning B, Environment and Planning C, Environment and Planning D, GeoForum, Geografiska Annaler series B, The Geographical Journal, Geographical Review, Geography, GeoJournal, Historical Geography, Journal of Historical Geography, Landscape History, Landscape Research, Political Geography, The Professional Geographer, Progress in Human Geography, and the Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jordan P. Howell

Dr. Howell is an assistant professor of geography and environmental studies at Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028; [[email protected]].

David L. Baylis

Mr. Baylis is a Fulbright-Hays Fellow in Turkey and a Ph.D. candidate in geography at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824; [[email protected]].