Energy API for Sustainable Urban Planning: A Guide for Developers and City Planners

Introduction

In today's rapidly evolving urban landscape, the need for sustainable energy solutions has never been more pressing. City planners and developers face the challenge of integrating reliable energy data into their projects to make informed decisions that align with sustainability goals. However, accessing accurate and timely energy market data can be a daunting task, often requiring tedious scraping of government portals or stitching together disparate data sources. This is where Energy API comes into play, offering a unified solution that simplifies the process of obtaining wholesale energy market data.

With Energy API, developers and city planners can access a comprehensive suite of energy data, including electricity, natural gas, crude oil, coal, carbon allowances, and grid carbon intensity, all through a single REST API. This blog post will guide you through the features and capabilities of Energy API, demonstrating how it can empower your sustainable urban planning initiatives.

Why Energy API

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

• Unified Data Format: Energy API normalizes data from multiple sources such as OMIE, ENTSO-E, EIA, and ESIOS into a single JSON interface. This eliminates the need for developers to handle different formats, schedules, and naming conventions, significantly reducing the time spent on data integration.
• Comprehensive Coverage: With over 39 symbols across six commodity categories, Energy API provides extensive coverage of the energy market. Developers can access data on electricity, gas, oil, coal, carbon, and carbon intensity, allowing for a holistic view of the energy landscape.
• Rapid Development: The API features 16 endpoints that cover a wide range of functionalities, from spot prices to historical series and fluctuation analysis. This means developers can ship features in hours rather than weeks, accelerating the time to market for energy-related applications.
• Trusted Data Providers: Energy API aggregates data from reputable sources, ensuring that users receive accurate and reliable information. This trustworthiness is crucial for developers and city planners who rely on data to make critical decisions.

Quick Start

Getting started with Energy API is straightforward. The base URL for the API is:

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

To make your first request, you will need to include your API key as a query parameter. Here’s an example of how 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

1. GET /latest

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

Key Parameters:

• symbols (required): A comma-separated list of symbols to retrieve prices for.
• base (optional): Currency filter for the response.

cURL Example:

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"

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"
}
}

The rates object provides the latest prices for each symbol, while the currencies object indicates the currency for each price.

2. GET /historical

This endpoint allows you to retrieve 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 Parameters:

• date (required): The date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
• symbols (required): A comma-separated list of symbols to retrieve prices for.
• base (optional): Currency filter for the response.

cURL Example:

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"

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"
}
}

The rates object contains the historical prices for the specified date, allowing for trend analysis and historical comparisons.

3. GET /timeseries

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

Key Parameters:

• start (required): The start date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
• end (required): The end date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
• symbols (required): A comma-separated list of symbols to retrieve prices for.
• base (optional): Currency filter for the response.

cURL Example:

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"

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"
}
}

The rates object contains historical prices keyed by date, allowing for detailed analysis of price trends over time.

4. GET /fluctuation

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

Key Parameters:

• start (required): The start date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
• end (required): The end date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
• symbols (required): A comma-separated list of symbols to retrieve fluctuation data for.
• base (optional): Currency filter for the response.

cURL Example:

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,TTF_GAS" \
--data-urlencode "api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"

JSON Response:

{
"success": true,
"fluctuations": {
"BRENT_CRUDE": {
"start_value": 76.30,
"end_value": 75.90,
"change": -0.40,
"change_pct": -0.52
},
"TTF_GAS": {
"start_value": 46.80,
"end_value": 47.10,
"change": 0.30,
"change_pct": 0.64
}
}
}

The fluctuations object provides insights into price changes over the specified period, which is essential for traders and analysts looking to understand market dynamics.

Real-World Use Cases

Energy API can be leveraged in various applications to enhance decision-making and operational efficiency. Here are three concrete examples:

• Price Alert System: Developers can build a price alert system that notifies users when energy prices reach a certain threshold. By utilizing the /latest endpoint, the system can continuously monitor prices and send alerts via email or SMS when predefined conditions are met.
• ESG Dashboard: City planners can create an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) dashboard that visualizes carbon intensity and energy consumption data. By integrating data from the /carbon-intensity and /electricity/latest endpoints, stakeholders can assess the sustainability of their energy sources and make informed decisions.
• Cost Calculator: Fintech teams can develop a cost calculator that estimates monthly energy expenses based on current market prices. By using the /cost-estimate endpoint, users can input their expected energy consumption and receive a detailed breakdown of costs, helping them budget effectively.

FAQ

How often does the TTF gas price update?

The TTF gas price updates daily, reflecting the most recent market conditions. Users can access the latest prices through the /latest endpoint to stay informed about fluctuations in the market.

Can I get historical energy prices going back 5 years?

Yes, Energy API provides access to historical prices for various symbols. Users can retrieve historical data using the /historical and /timeseries endpoints, allowing for analysis of price trends over extended periods.

Does the API support multiple currencies?

Yes, Energy API supports multiple currencies. Users can specify their desired currency using the base parameter in their requests, ensuring that they receive data in the format that best suits their needs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Energy API is a powerful tool for developers and city planners seeking to integrate reliable energy market data into their applications. By providing a unified REST API that aggregates data from trusted sources, Energy API simplifies the process of accessing critical information needed for sustainable urban planning. Whether you're building a price alert system, an ESG dashboard, or a cost calculator, Energy API offers the flexibility and reliability 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 accurate, real-time energy market data for your projects.