Developing an Energy Efficiency Dashboard for Utilities: Insights on Using Energy API

Introduction

In today's rapidly evolving energy landscape, utilities and energy traders face the daunting challenge of accessing reliable market data. The need for accurate, real-time information on energy prices, carbon intensity, and other critical metrics is paramount for making informed decisions. However, the traditional methods of gathering this data—scraping government portals or stitching together disparate sources—are often cumbersome, time-consuming, and prone to errors. This is where an energy efficiency dashboard powered by a robust API can make a significant difference.

By leveraging a unified REST API like Energy API, developers can streamline their data acquisition processes, enabling them to focus on building innovative solutions rather than wrestling with data inconsistencies. This blog post will explore how to develop an energy efficiency dashboard for utilities using Energy API, highlighting its features, endpoints, and practical use cases.

Why Energy API

Energy API stands out in the crowded field of energy data providers for several compelling reasons:

• One Unified Interface: Energy API consolidates data from multiple sources such as OMIE, ENTSO-E, and EIA into a single, normalized REST interface. This eliminates the need for developers to manage different formats and schedules, significantly reducing the time spent on data integration.
• Comprehensive Data Coverage: With over 39 symbols across six commodity categories—electricity, natural gas, crude oil, coal, carbon allowances, and grid carbon intensity—developers can access a wide range of market data in one place. This versatility allows for more comprehensive analysis and reporting.
• Rapid Development: The API's consistent JSON schema across all commodities means that developers can implement features in hours rather than weeks. This accelerates the time to market for new applications and dashboards.
• Trusted Data Providers: Energy API sources its data from reputable organizations, ensuring that users receive accurate and reliable information. This trustworthiness is crucial for making informed decisions in the energy sector.

Quick Start

To get started with Energy API, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the base URL and how to make your first request. The base URL for accessing the API is:

https://energy-api.com/api/v1

Authentication is done via the api_key query parameter. Here’s how to make your first request to retrieve the latest prices for Brent Crude and TTF Gas:

curl -G https://energy-api.com/api/v1/latest \
--data-urlencode "symbols=BRENT_CRUDE,TTF_GAS" \
--data-urlencode "api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"

The expected JSON response will look like this:

{
"success": true,
"date": "2026-06-11",
"base": "MIXED",
"rates": {
"BRENT_CRUDE": 74.82,
"TTF_GAS": 38.15
},
"dates": {
"BRENT_CRUDE": "2026-06-11",
"TTF_GAS": "2026-06-11"
},
"currencies": {
"BRENT_CRUDE": "USD",
"TTF_GAS": "EUR"
}
}

In this response, the success field indicates whether the request was successful, while the rates object contains the latest prices for the requested symbols.

Core Endpoints

Energy API offers a variety of endpoints that are essential for building an energy efficiency dashboard. Below are four key endpoints relevant to this topic:

1. GET /latest

This endpoint retrieves the most recent price for one or more symbols.

Key Params: symbols (required), base (optional), category (optional)

curl -G https://energy-api.com/api/v1/latest \
--data-urlencode "symbols=BRENT_CRUDE,TTF_GAS,EUA_CO2" \
--data-urlencode "api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"

Expected JSON response:

{
"success": true,
"date": "2026-06-11",
"base": "MIXED",
"rates": {
"BRENT_CRUDE": 74.82,
"TTF_GAS": 38.15,
"EUA_CO2": 67.40
},
"dates": {
"BRENT_CRUDE": "2026-06-11",
"TTF_GAS": "2026-06-11",
"EUA_CO2": "2026-06-11"
},
"currencies": {
"BRENT_CRUDE": "USD",
"TTF_GAS": "EUR",
"EUA_CO2": "EUR"
}
}

In this response, the rates object provides the latest prices for Brent Crude, TTF Gas, and EUA CO2, allowing developers to display real-time market data on their dashboards.

2. GET /historical

This endpoint retrieves prices for all symbols on a specific past date. If the date falls on a non-publishing day, it returns the most recent value before it.

Key Params: date (YYYY-MM-DD, required), symbols (required), base (optional)

curl -G https://energy-api.com/api/v1/historical \
--data-urlencode "date=2025-09-15" \
--data-urlencode "symbols=BRENT_CRUDE,TTF_GAS" \
--data-urlencode "api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"

Expected JSON response:

{
"success": true,
"date": "2025-09-15",
"base": "MIXED",
"rates": {
"BRENT_CRUDE": 71.45,
"TTF_GAS": 36.20
},
"currencies": {
"BRENT_CRUDE": "USD",
"TTF_GAS": "EUR"
}
}

This response allows developers to analyze historical price trends, which is crucial for forecasting and decision-making.

3. GET /timeseries

This endpoint provides historical series between two dates, ideal for charting and trend analysis.

Key Params: start (required), end (required), symbols (required), base (optional)

curl -G https://energy-api.com/api/v1/timeseries \
--data-urlencode "start=2025-01-01" \
--data-urlencode "end=2025-03-31" \
--data-urlencode "symbols=BRENT_CRUDE,TTF_GAS" \
--data-urlencode "api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"

Expected JSON response:

{
"success": true,
"base": "MIXED",
"start_date": "2025-01-01",
"end_date": "2025-03-31",
"rates": {
"BRENT_CRUDE": {
"2025-01-02": 76.30,
"2025-01-03": 75.90
},
"TTF_GAS": {
"2025-01-02": 46.80,
"2025-01-03": 47.10
}
},
"frequencies": {
"BRENT_CRUDE": "daily",
"TTF_GAS": "daily"
},
"currencies": {
"BRENT_CRUDE": "USD",
"TTF_GAS": "EUR"
}
}

This response provides daily prices for Brent Crude and TTF Gas, allowing developers to create detailed charts and visualizations for their dashboards.

4. GET /fluctuation

This endpoint calculates the start and end values, absolute change, and percentage change over a specified period.

Key Params: start (required), end (required), symbols (required), base (optional)

curl -G https://energy-api.com/api/v1/fluctuation \
--data-urlencode "start=2025-01-01" \
--data-urlencode "end=2025-01-31" \
--data-urlencode "symbols=BRENT_CRUDE" \
--data-urlencode "api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"

Expected JSON response:

{
"success": true,
"fluctuation": {
"BRENT_CRUDE": {
"start_value": 76.30,
"end_value": 75.90,
"change": -0.40,
"change_pct": -0.52
}
}
}

This response provides valuable insights into price movements, enabling developers to implement features like alerts for significant fluctuations.

Real-World Use Cases

Here are three concrete examples of what developers can build using Energy API:

• Price Alert System: Developers can create a system that monitors energy prices and sends alerts when they reach a certain threshold. This can be achieved using the /latest endpoint to fetch real-time prices and trigger notifications based on user-defined criteria.
• ESG Dashboard: An Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) dashboard can be built to track carbon intensity and emissions data. By utilizing the /carbon-intensity endpoint, developers can provide insights into the environmental impact of energy consumption.
• Cost Calculator: A cost calculator can help users estimate their monthly energy expenses based on current prices. By using the /cost-estimate endpoint, developers can provide users with a simple interface to input their usage and receive an estimated cost.

FAQ

How often does the TTF gas price update?

The TTF gas price updates daily, reflecting the most recent market data available from the EEX. This ensures that users have access to the latest pricing information for their analyses.

Can I get historical energy prices going back 5 years?

Yes, Energy API provides historical data for various symbols, allowing users to access prices from the past. The /historical and /timeseries endpoints can be used to retrieve this data for specific dates or ranges.

Does the API support multiple currencies?

Yes, Energy API supports multiple currencies. Users can specify their desired currency in the request parameters, and the API will return prices in the requested currency, making it easier to integrate into applications with diverse user bases.

Conclusion

Building an energy efficiency dashboard for utilities is no longer a daunting task, thanks to the capabilities offered by Energy API. By leveraging its unified REST interface, developers can access a wealth of market data without the hassle of managing multiple sources. The API's comprehensive endpoints, reliable data, and rapid development capabilities make it the ideal choice for anyone looking to create innovative energy solutions.

Whether you're building a price alert system, an ESG dashboard, or a cost calculator, Energy API provides the tools you need to succeed. Don't let the complexities of energy data hold you back—Try Energy API for free today and unlock the potential of your energy applications.