Skip to search Skip to main content
AGSL GeoDiscovery
AGSL GeoDiscovery
  • Search History
  • About
  • AGSL Home
  • Help
Advanced

View Metadata

  • FGDC

Net-Zero America bulk transmission expansions from spur lines to metropolitan statistical areas for high-electrification scenario (base land use), 2050

  • Identification Information
  • Data Quality Information
  • Spatial Data Organization Information
  • Spatial Reference Information
  • Entity and Attribute Information
  • Distribution Information
  • Metadata Reference Information
Identification Information
Citation
Originator
Andrew Pascale, Andlinger Center, Princeton University, Post-Doctoral Research Associate
Publication Date
20210528
Title
Net-Zero America bulk transmission expansions from spur lines to metropolitan statistical areas for high-electrification scenario (base land use), 2050
Geospatial Data Presentation Form
vector digital data
Online Linkage
https://figgy.princeton.edu/downloads/e434989c-b8f2-4b98-bdd0-c40d2a4f4578/file/e64203b5-d0cc-4e0f-97d2-39cdd4a81c89
Abstract
This dataset shows the expansions to bulk electric transmission lines in the contiguous United States that will be required by 2050 to connect spur line connection points (substations that existed in 2019 and had a voltage class rating of 161kV or greater) to metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) under a net-zero-emissions scenario with high electrification and more permissive land-use assumptions. For an overview of this "E+" high-electrification scenario and these "base" land-use assumptions, please refer to the "supplemental information" portion of this record.
Purpose
For visualizing renewable energy transmission using GIS software. A growing number of pledges are being made by major corporations, municipalities, states, and national governments to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 or sooner. As part of the Net-Zero America Project, this dataset provides granular guidance on what getting to net-zero really requires and on actions needed to translate these pledges into tangible progress.
Supplemental Information
The E+ scenario, or high-electrification scenario, is one of five defined pathways whereby the United States can become carbon-neutral by 2050, as detailed in the Net-Zero America report of December 2020. Between 2020 and 2050, the E+ scenario assumes: 1) a high degree of end-use electrification in transportation and buildings, 2) a minimum of 10% yearly growth in wind and solar, 3) an 80-year life for 50% of existing nuclear power, 4) no new nuclear power in California, and 5) the ongoing use of fossil fuels. By 2050, the E+ scenario further assumes: 1) carbon dioxide storage of no more than 1.8 Gt/y, 2) carbon dioxide emissions of -0.17 Gt, and 3) a biomass supply limit of 0.7 Gt/y biomass with no new land converted to bioenergy. Both the "base" land-use assumptions on which this scenario is predicated and the "constrained" alternative stipulate that new renewable-energy sites will be selected based on: 1) numerous environmental, cultural, and economic exclusions, 2) buffers of varying extent around water bodies, urban areas, and certain infrastructure, and 3) slope and population-density limits. The "base" case additionally allows for 1) sites with Theobald Human Modification Index values of 0.082 or more, and 2) wind development on prime farmlands. These assumptions are detailed in the Net-Zero America report.
Temporal Extent
Currentness Reference
Time frame of analysis.
Time Period
Beginning
20250101
End
20501231
Bounding Box
West
-127.381734
East
-66.232458
North
50.305295
South
23.656487
Theme Keyword
net-zero
solar
wind
offshore
transmission
spur
bulk
renewable energy
transition
energy
infrastructure
electricity
grid
MSAs
metropolitan areas
netzeroamerica
public
open access
E+
high-electrification
BLUA
Theme Keyword Thesaurus
None
Theme Keyword
utilitiesCommunication
Theme Keyword Thesaurus
ISO 19115 Topic Categories
Place Keyword
United States
Place Keyword Thesaurus
None
Temporal Keyword
2025
2030
2035
2040
2045
2050
Temporal Keyword Thesaurus
None
Access Restrictions
None
Use Restrictions
This dataset is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Any non-commercial use is permitted. All uses must credit Princeton University and carry this same license.
Status
Complete
Maintenance and Update Frequency
None planned
Point of Contact
Contact Organization
Map and Geospatial Information Center, Lewis Library, Princeton University
City
Princeton
State
NJ
Postal Code
08544
Country
US
Contact Telephone
609-258-1097
Point of Contact
Contact Person
Andrew Pascale
Credit
A. Pascale, J. Jenkins, E. Larson, C. Greig, E. Mayfield, C. Zhang, J. Drossman, R. Williams, S. Pacala, R. Socolow, EJ Baik, R. Birdsey, R. Duke, R. Jones, B. Haley, E. Leslie, K. Paustian, A. Swan
Native Data Set Environment
Version 6.2 (Build 9200) ; Esri ArcGIS 10.8.1.14362
Data Quality Information
Lineage
Source
Title
Electric Substations
Online Linkage
https://hifld-geoplatform.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/electric-substations
Type of Source Media
None
Contribution
Substation data.
Source
Originator
United States Department of Transportation
Title
Core Based Statistical Areas (National)
Online Linkage
https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/core-based-statistical-areas-national
Type of Source Media
None
Contribution
MSA data.
Source
Publication Date
20201215
Title
Net-Zero America: potential pathways, infrastructure, and impacts, interim report
Publication Information
Publication Place
Princeton, NJ, 08544, US
Publisher
Princeton University
Online Linkage
https://netzeroamerica.princeton.edu/img/Princeton_NZA_Interim_Report_15_Dec_2020_FINAL.pdf
Type of Source Media
onLine
Contribution
Net-Zero America report, 2020
Spatial Data Organization Information
Direct Spatial Reference Method
Vector
Point and Vector Object Information
SDTS Terms Description
SDTS Point and Vector Object Type
String
Point and Vector Object Count
6404
Spatial Reference Information
Horizontal Coordinate System Definition
Planar
Map Projection
Map Projection Name
NAD 1983 Albers
Albers Conical Equal Area
Standard Parallel
29.5
Standard Parallel
45.5
Longitude of Central Meridian
-96.0
Latitude of Projection Origin
23.0
False Easting
0.0
False Northing
0.0
Planar Coordinate Information
Planar Coordinate Encoding Method
coordinate pair
Coordinate Representation
Abscissa Resolution
0.0000000037527980722984474
Ordinate Resolution
0.0000000037527980722984474
Planar Distance Units
meter
Geodetic Model
Horizontal Datum Name
D North American 1983
Ellipsoid Name
GRS 1980
Semi-major Axis
6378137.0
Denominator of Flattening Ratio
298.257222101
Entity and Attribute Information
Entity Type
Entity Type Label
NZAP_bulk_transmission_spur-MSA_E+_BLUA_v2
Entity Type Definition
Polylines representing electric transmission infrastructure.
Entity Type Definition Source
Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment/High Meadows Environmental Institute
Attributes
FID
Internal feature number. (Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.)
Definition Source
Esri
Shape
Feature geometry. (Coordinates defining the features.)
Definition Source
Esri
Destinatio
Destination MSA for transmission corridor.
Definition Source
Andlinger Center/HMEI
available
Year(s) from which the capacity specified by field "cumCapGW" is available. (2025 to 2050)
Definition Source
Andlinger Center/HMEI
cumCapGW
Transmission capacity of line in GW as of year specified in field "available."
Definition Source
Andlinger Center/HMEI
Shape_Leng
Length of transmission spur line in meters.
Definition Source
Andlinger Center/HMEI
scenario
Scenario to which the transmission line applies.
E+
High-electrification scenario.
Definition Source
Andlinger Center/HMEI
LandUseAss
Land use case filter being applied during renewable resource capacity siting step, either Base Land Use Assumptions (BLUA) or Constrained Land Use Assumptions (CLUA). Note that the base land use case was used for all transmission siting.
BLUA
Base Land Use Assumptions.
CLUA
Constrained Land Use Assumptions.
Definition Source
Andlinger Center/HMEI
Distribution Information
Name
Metadata Reference Information
Metadata Date
20210825
Metadata Contact
Contact Information
Contact Organization Primary
Contact Organization
Map and Geospatial Information Center, Lewis Library, Princeton University
Contact Address
City
Princeton
State or Province
NJ
Postal Code
08544
Country
US
Contact Voice Telephone
609-258-1097
Metadata Standard Name
FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata Standard Version
FGDC-STD-001-1998
Download
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
UWM Libraries
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Information
  • System Status
  • Ask a Librarian
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

© 2026 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

  • Web Privacy Statement
  • Accessibility
  • Feedback
Scroll to top