What is an Energy Flow Diagram & How to Create it?

Have you ever tried to visualize the intricate pathways of energy in a system? If you have, you’ll agree that it’s no walk in the park. Energy is a fundamental concept that drives our world, and understanding how it flows can be a game-changer in various fields, from energy policy formulation to optimizing industrial processes.

This is where energy flow diagrams come into play. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take you on a journey through the fascinating world of energy flow diagrams, helping you unlock insights, discover their importance, and learn how to create and interpret them effectively.

Table of Content:

1. What is an Energy Flow Diagram?
2. Why are Energy Flow Diagrams Important?
3. What is the Use of Diagram of Energy Flow?
4. Components of Energy Flow Diagram
5.  Energy Flow Diagram Examples
6. Step-by-Step Process for Creating an Energy Flow Diagram
7. Advantages of Using Sankey Energy Flow Diagram
8. Best Practice for Creating Energy Flow Chart
9. Wrap Up

What is an Energy Flow Diagram?

Definition: An energy flow diagram is a data presentation that maps out the movement and transformation of energy in a system. It’s like a roadmap that guides you through the complex journey of energy, from its source to its various uses and eventual losses.

These diagrams use arrows and lines to represent the flow of energy, with the width of the lines proportional to the quantity of energy being transferred or transformed. Think of it as a dynamic flowchart that vividly illustrates the energy pathways.

Why are Energy Flow Diagrams Important?

Energy flow diagrams are vital tools in several domains, and their importance cannot be overstated. Here’s why they matter:

1. Clarity in Complexity: Energy systems can be incredibly intricate, involving multiple sources, transformations, and endpoints. Energy flow diagrams simplify this complexity, making it easier to grasp the big picture.
2. Policy Formulation: Governments and organizations use these diagrams to formulate energy policies. They provide a visual overview of how energy is generated, distributed, and consumed, aiding in decision-making for sustainable energy practices.
3. Process Optimization: Industries use energy flow diagrams to optimize their processes, identifying areas where energy efficiency can be improved, thus saving costs and reducing environmental impact.
4. Education and Communication: Energy flow diagrams are excellent educational tools. They help students and professionals alike understand energy systems and straightforwardly convey complex concepts.

What is the Use of Diagram of Energy Flow?

Energy flow diagrams serve multiple purposes:

1. Visualization: They offer a clear visual representation of energy systems, making it easier to comprehend complex relationships.
2. Analysis: By studying the diagram, one can identify patterns, trends, and areas for improvement in energy systems.
3. Communication: Energy flow diagrams are a universal language that allows experts and non-experts to communicate effectively about energy systems.

Components of Energy Flow Diagram

To create an energy flow diagram, you need to understand its key components:

1. Source: This is where energy originates. It could be a natural resource like sunlight, fossil fuels, or nuclear energy.
2. Transformation: Energy often transforms, such as conversion from one form to another (e.g., solar to electrical energy).
3. Distribution: Energy is transported from its source to various endpoints through grids or networks.
4. Consumption: At the end of the line, energy is consumed, whether it’s by industries, households, or other sectors.
5. Losses: Energy is never 100% efficient. Some are lost during conversion, transmission, or usage. These losses are a crucial aspect to account for.

 Energy Flow Diagram Examples

Let’s delve into some real-world energy flow diagram examples to see how they work:

Example #1

Explore the intricate landscape of energy distribution and consumption with this detailed dataset. Delving into various sources such as agricultural waste, other waste, marina algae, biomass import, nuclear reserves, and natural gas, the data provides insights into mega-watt outputs and end-user consumption across different sectors.

Witness the dynamic interplay of bio-conversion and thermal generation processes, revealing the complex journey of energy from its origins to its diverse applications in industries, HVAC systems, and residential appliances.

Example #2

The energy flow chart, a condensed depiction of energy transfers, emphasizes the significance of line thickness representing energy magnitude. Examining the example chart, delineating domestic power use, three focal categories emerge: main source, rooms, and devices.

Swift analysis reveals the air conditioner, oven, and stove as predominant energy consumers in the devices category, while the kitchen stands out as the primary energy consumer among rooms.

This succinct overview unveils key contributors to energy consumption, aiding informed decisions for enhanced home energy efficiency.

Step-by-Step Process for Creating an Energy Flow Diagram

Data visualization is the superhero of data analysis, allowing us to unravel complex information with a single glance. But alas, even Excel, the mighty spreadsheet warrior, falls short in its visualization prowess.

Fear not, for there is a savior in the form of ChartExpo. ChartExpo’s visualizations and ease of use make analyzing gross profit vs net income data in Excel a breeze. It transforms it into a visual feast that even the most number-phobic can appreciate.

Let’s learn how to install ChartExpo in Excel.

1. Open your Excel application.
2. Open the worksheet and click the “Insert” menu.
3. You’ll see the “My Apps” option.
4. In the office Add-ins window, click “Store” and search for ChartExpo on my Apps Store.
5. Click the “Add” button to install ChartExpo in your Excel.

ChartExpo charts are available both in Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Please use the following CTAs to install the tool of your choice and create beautiful visualizations with a few clicks in your favorite tool.

This section will use a Sankey Chart in Excel to visualize the table below.

Below is an example of a table.

Energy Type	Main Source	Source type	Energy Source	Usage	End-User	Mega Watt
Agricultural waste	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Losses in process	Lost	3.5
Agricultural waste	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Industry	5.1
Agricultural waste	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	HVAC Commercial	3.6
Agricultural waste	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	HVAC homes	2.6
Agricultural waste	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Appliances Commercial	3.4
Agricultural waste	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Appliances homes	1.4
Other waste	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Losses in process	Lost	5.0
Other waste	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Industry	3.8
Other waste	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	HVAC Commercial	4.7
Other waste	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	HVAC homes	3.4
Other waste	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Appliances Commercial	5.2
Other waste	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Appliances homes	1.8
Marina algae	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Losses in process	Lost	0.5
Marina algae	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Industry	0.4
Marina algae	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	HVAC Commercial	0.6
Marina algae	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	HVAC homes	0.4
Marina algae	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Appliances Commercial	0.6
Marina algae	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Appliances homes	0.4
Biomass import	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Losses in process	Lost	0.3
Biomass import	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Industry	0.5
Biomass import	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	HVAC Commercial	0.6
Biomass import	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	HVAC homes	0.2
Biomass import	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Appliances Commercial	0.4
Biomass import	Bio-conversion	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Appliances homes	0.1
Nuclear reserves	Nuclear Plant	Solid	Thermal generation	Losses in process	Lost	35.0
Nuclear reserves	Nuclear Plant	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Industry	9.1
Nuclear reserves	Nuclear Plant	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	HVAC Commercial	5.6
Nuclear reserves	Nuclear Plant	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	HVAC homes	4.2
Nuclear reserves	Nuclear Plant	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Appliances Commercial	7.7
Nuclear reserves	Nuclear Plant	Solid	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Appliances homes	2.8
Gas reserves	Natural Gas	Gas	Thermal generation	Losses in process	Lost	3.6
Gas reserves	Natural Gas	Gas	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Industry	5.9
Gas reserves	Natural Gas	Gas	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	HVAC Commercial	5.5
Gas reserves	Natural Gas	Gas	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	HVAC homes	3.4
Gas reserves	Natural Gas	Gas	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Appliances Commercial	5.1
Gas reserves	Natural Gas	Gas	Thermal generation	Electricity grid	Appliances homes	2.5

• To get started with ChartExpo, install ChartExpo in Excel.
• Now Click on My Apps from the INSERT menu.

• Choose ChartExpo from My Apps, then click Insert.

• Once it loads, choose the “Sankey Chart” from the charts list.

• Click the “Create Chart From Selection” button after selecting the data from the sheet, as shown.

• ChartExpo will generate the visualization below for you.

• If you want to have the chart’s title, click Edit Chart, as shown in the above image.
• Click the pencil icon next to the Chart Header to change the title.
• It will open the properties dialog. Under the Text section, you can add a heading in Line 1 and enable Show.
• Give the appropriate title of your chart and click the Apply button.

• Let’s add the Postfix (e.g., MW sign) to the chart’s numeric values.
• Click the highlighted pencil icon. Expand the “Symbols” properties to add the Postfix value (e.g., MW sign).

• Let’s give colors to the nodes. Click the pencil icon at the top of the nodes and go to “Node“. Select the color and click the “Apply” button to save all changes.
• Click the “Save Changes” button to persist the changes.

• Your final cash flow Sankey Chart will appear as below.

Insights

• Agricultural waste and other waste contribute significantly to energy production through bio-conversion and thermal generation.
• The main sources for energy production include solid biomass, with a focus on bio-conversion and thermal generation processes.
• Electricity grid usage is a common end-user for energy generated from agricultural waste, other waste, marina algae, biomass import, nuclear reserves, and gas reserves.
• HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems are a notable end-user in both commercial and residential settings for energy sourced from agricultural waste, other waste, marina algae, biomass import, nuclear reserves, and gas reserves.
• Industry plays a significant role as an end-user, particularly in the case of energy derived from agricultural waste, other waste, nuclear reserves, and gas reserves.
• Appliances, both in commercial and residential contexts, are notable end-users for electricity generated from agricultural waste, other waste, marina algae, biomass import, nuclear reserves, and gas reserves.
• Losses in the process occur in the conversion of biomass and nuclear reserves into energy, resulting in a portion of energy being lost during these processes.
• Nuclear reserves contribute a substantial amount of energy, with significantly higher mega-watt outputs compared to other sources such as agricultural waste, other waste, marine algae, biomass import, and gas reserves.
• Natural gas, as a source, contributes to thermal generation for electricity production, with a diverse end-user distribution, including industry, HVAC, and appliances.
• The diversity in energy sources and end-users highlights the complexity and interdependence within the energy flow diagram, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and efficient utilization.

Advantages of Using Sankey Energy Flow Diagram

Sankey energy flow diagrams have several advantages:

• Visual Clarity: They provide a visually clear representation of energy flow, making it easy to identify inefficiencies.
• Quantitative Insights: Sankey diagrams allow for precise quantitative analysis, as the width of arrows directly correlates with energy quantities.
• Comparative Analysis: You can compare different energy systems or scenarios side by side, aiding in decision-making.

Best Practice for Creating Energy Flow Chart

Creating an effective energy flow chart requires careful planning and execution. Here are some best practices:

1. Gather Data: Collect accurate and up-to-date data on energy sources, transformations, distribution, consumption, and losses.
2. Choose the Right Software: Utilize software tools designed for creating energy flow diagrams, such as ChartExpo.
3. Maintain Consistency: Use consistent units and scales throughout the diagram to ensure accuracy.
4. Label and Annotate: Clearly label all components and annotate the diagram to provide context.

Review and Refine: Regularly review and refine your energy flow diagram as new data becomes available or as systems change.

FAQs

How Do You Draw an Energy Transfer Diagram?

Drawing an energy transfer diagram involves representing the flow and transformation of energy in a system. Follow the steps outlined in this guide, starting with data collection and selecting the appropriate diagram type.

What is Meant by Process Flow and Energy Flow Diagram?

A process flow diagram illustrates the steps and stages of a particular process, while an energy flow diagram specifically shows how energy is sourced, transformed, distributed, and used within that process.

How Do You Read an Energy Flow Diagram?

Reading an energy flow diagram is straightforward. Remember that the width of the arrows represents energy quantity. Start from the source and follow the arrows through transformations, distribution, consumption, and losses to understand the complete energy journey.

Wrap Up

In conclusion, energy flow diagrams are powerful tools that provide insights into the complex world of energy systems. Whether you’re a policymaker, an engineer optimizing processes, or a student learning about energy, these diagrams serve as invaluable aids. By understanding the flow of energy, we can make informed decisions, reduce waste, and work towards a more sustainable future.

So, the next time you encounter a maze of energy pathways, fear not, energy flow diagrams will be your guiding light.

Unlock the potential of energy flow diagrams and embark on a journey to uncover the secrets of the energy world. Your data-driven discoveries may just hold the key to a brighter and more efficient tomorrow.