U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis

Press Room

U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON DC 20585

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 20, 2016

EIA releases new data add-on tool for Google Sheets

The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released a free software tool that allows users to directly import into Google Sheets the energy data available through the agency's application programming interface (API). Similar to EIA's Microsoft Excel add-in, the new Google Sheets add-on enables users to browse EIA's energy API data categories or search keywords to find domestic and international energy data for the production, consumption, and price of different fuels, as well as EIA's short-term forecasts and long-term projections.

"The Google Sheets add-on represents EIA's latest step in the agency's continuing efforts to share more of its energy data in easily updated, customizable ways," said EIA Administrator Adam Sieminski.

EIA currently has 1.2 million data series available through its API, developed as part of EIA's open data program. The Excel add-in is popular with users of EIA data, with about 100,000 requests a month accessing the API through the Excel add-in.

Google Sheets is a free online spreadsheet alternative that can be accessed and shared from anywhere through a web browser or through an app for your phone or tablet. EIA's Google Sheets add-on provides access to easily updateable energy data for users who do not use or may not have access to Excel. It is the first government add-on developed for Google Sheets, and was developed in coordination with Google to ensure compatibility and usability. The free add-on is available through the Chrome Webstore.

The Google Sheets add-on works like the Excel version. Users can find, search, browse, query, and automatically update data series, essentially giving them access to any data EIA has available in the API. Throughout EIA's website, the symbol is used to denote a link to a page with the series' API source key. A refresh button allows users to update all series within their spreadsheet to the latest EIA data with just one click.

Both the Excel add-in and Google Sheets add-on provide one-click instant download of an entire time series. In addition, the Google Sheets add-on displays a spark-line chart to give users an instant preview of a data series over time.

The product described in this press release was prepared by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. By law, EIA's data, analysis, and forecasts are independent of approval by any other officer or employee of the United States Government. The views in the product and press release therefore should not be construed as representing those of the Department of Energy or other federal agencies.

EIA Press Contact: Jonathan Cogan, 202-586-8719, jonathan.cogan@eia.gov

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