Platts Geospatial at the ESRI User Conference

Are you a utilities GIS specialist, a mapping expert that focuses on energy or a Platts client? If so, drop by our booth at the ESRI User Conference at the San Diego Convention Center from August 4th-8th. Our whole crew will be attending and we have some very slick giveaway map/posters for you.

Zoomify

We've been testing the usefulness of new tool called Zoomify. Zoomify provides the controls to zoom and pan high-resolution images on the web. All you need to get started is a web-host. Note: this may not work (yet) if you're using Firefox.

Powered by Zoomify

Google Earth Browser Plug-in

I previously posted our McGraw-Hill Office locations in Microsoft Live Search, but wanted to repost in the new Google Earth Browser Plug-in just released yesterday.

New Astronomy software from Microsoft

This doesn't have a whole lot to do with energy (except maybe solar energy) but is exciting news nonetheless for map amateurs and GIS professionals alike. For any of you who enjoy the depth and breadth of data available in Google Earth or Microsoft's Virtual Earth, we now have an astronomical equivalent. Some of you may already be aware that one can open Google Earth, choose the View menu and select Switch to Sky for Google's space experience but this takes that concept many steps further including guided tours of the universe, many different spectral image types and a way cool interface.

The developers describe it like this "The WorldWide Telescope (WWT) is a Web 2.0 visualization software environment that enables your computer to function as a virtual telescope—bringing together imagery from the best ground and space-based telescopes in the world for a seamless exploration of the universe. "

Visit here to download the software for free.

ps-in case you are wondering what the next frontier in this virtual space race is ...rumors abound that Google is developing an ocean version of Google Earth. We can't wait for Microsoft to

come up with a competitive product there as well.

Top 10 Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines (by Mileage)

I was just working on some natural gas maps to round out the Platts suite of Natural Gas maps, and I threw this map together just out of curiosity. If this is something that you find helpful, please let me know. Feel free to drop it into presentations. In case it's not painfully obvious from this post's title and the map title...this is strictly based on line mileage, not capacity or anything else.

Platts/UDI China mapping data graces pages of National Geographic

UDI is a department within Platts which collects and databases generation and contact data for power plant units globally. You can see their products here.

The mapping group at Platts Analytics took UDI's power plant data for China and mapped it and now has the honor of sharing that data with National Geographic magazine. You can see some of our GIS data (coal fired power plants) in the May issue which is dedicated to China's growth.