Report Summary
The website HowMuch provided an informative report on wind energy production and use (This Chart Shows Which States Produce the Most Wind Energy, n.d.). It is primarily worth clarifying that this type of energy can be categorized as an environmental alternative because it converts natural energy (wind dynamics) into mechanical and then electrical forms. The authors discuss wind energy in the U.S. context, using data on total energy generated, the number of households each plant can serve, and the investment made. In other words, for each state where windmills are used, the author suggests using three variables.
Visualization Analysis
The authors plot these variables on a single chart in Installed Capacity vs. State axes. For a more appealing form of visualization, he uses a windmill shape, differentiated by color. The color in the author’s designation signals the total household coverage with windmill stations in that state, using a gradient. Finally, for each state, the authors separately sign the investment amount (in dollars) on the horizontal axis. Thus, by examining a particular data point, the reader can immediately estimate all the variables given.
For example, if the reader is analyzing two states, TX and CA, the first thing they can look at is the size of the windmills: TX’s are larger, indicating Texas has a greater electricity capacity. Second, the color of the mill for TX is a deeper blue, indicating that more homes in that state are powered by generated electricity. Finally, it is evident that for TX, the total investment is $42 billion, whereas for CA, it is only $ 12.6 billion. Therefore, the natural conclusion from this data is that TX, which invests approximately three times as much in windmills, can generate more electricity and serve a greater number of households.
Recommended Improvements
Despite the comprehensiveness and breadth of the proposed visualization, it may appear complex at first glance or to the untrained reader. Accordingly, there is a request to revise this representation to simplify understanding or, conversely, to make it more academic. The obvious solution is to use a tabular form, with columns representing intervals of covered households and rows representing intervals of Installed Capacity. At the intersections of cells and columns, place the name of the state for which the data are relevant, along with information about the investments made.
While this would make comparisons between states more complicated, the table would be more academic and could quickly identify a particular state that meets both criteria. In fact, investment intervals can be used as columns or rows if the goal is to study them; however, either Equivalent Homes Powered or Installed Capacity should be included in the intersections. A small fragment of such a table is shown below:
On the other hand, a bar chart with three axes can be used to represent the data. The two vertical axes could be labeled Equivalent Homes Powered and Installed Capacity, and the horizontal axis could show the investments made. Each column corresponds to a specific state. This form would be attractive for attention retention and would allow for comparison of states across the three variables; however, there must be correspondences between the two vertical axes to enable the columns to scale effectively and visually.
Reference
This chart shows which states produce the most wind energy. (n.d.). HowMuch.net.