Starter Kit

Your beginner-friendly guide to mapping transmission power grids in OpenStreetMap with JOSM.

This starter kit empowers you how to map your first line of the electrical transmission grid. If you ever get stuck with the Starter Kit or would like to provide feedback, please contact us via our community chat or via email. A MapYourGrid member will help you finish your first line and set up your environment. When it comes to large-scale electrical grids, the JOSM is the ideal tool for mappers and the main tool for MapYourGrid. However, the iD editor integrated in the OpenStreetMap Website is much more beginner-friendly of you just want to map the grid in your direct enviroment. MapComplete also offers grid-related tasks, such as taking pictures of wind turbines

First thing's first: Get familiar with OSM and set up JOSM

1. Get started with OpenStreetMap and Open Infrastructure Map

Before mapping power infrastructure, get familiar with OpenStreetMap (OSM):

1. Create an OSM account. Sign up here.
2. Learn basic mapping with the in-browser editor (iD) :
   • Visit the OpenStreetMap Wiki.
   • Use the iD Beginners' Guide to get starter.
   • Start small. Add missing streets, parks, buildings in your area.
3. Find missing power infrastructure near you.
   • Go to Open Infrastructure Map.
   • Click "Find my location" on the top right corner, or search your city.
   • See a missing line or substation nearby ? Map it ! Use the iD editor.
   • Check detailed mapping guidelines in the OSM Wiki.

Even small edits like missing towers or bits of power lines make a big difference by helping others complete the grid. Don't worry about making mistakes. Mapping is an iterative process, and the OpenStreetMap community can detect anything that is missing or wrongly tagged.

The OpenStreetMap Wiki pages The Power Network and Key:Power provide an overview of how to map different power infrastructure.

Open Infrastructure Map showing the detailed transmission and distribution grid in Portugal.

Note

⚠️ In some countries, mapping power lines is restricted. Always verify local guidelines, connect with the OSM local community first, or check out the local projects.

⚠️ By following our Code of Mappers, we collectively protect the integrity of the OSM platform, foster trust with communities, and unlock the power of open data for a more resilient and just energy future.

2. Install JOSM for a more advanced mapping

JOSM is a more advanced desktop OpenStreetMap editor which is more suitable for power grid mapping.

Note

The JOSM Preferences window is accessed through the Edit → Preferences menu on Windows and Linux, and JOSM → Settings on Mac.

This is what your JOSM should look like in the end. Click to enlarge.

1. Install Java on your device.
   
2. Install JOSM on your device (if needed, further instructions on how to install and use JOSM on your device can be found at learnOSM).
3. Link your OSM account to JOSM. Go to Preferences → OSM Server and select "Authorise". Login with your OSM account. Be aware that your token is now stored in your local preferences.xml file. Do not share this file with anyone.
   
4. Enable "Remote control" in Preferences → Remote Control. This allows for grid data to be loaded automatically.
5. Understanding JOSM layers. JOSM works with stacked layers, similar to Photoshop or GIS tools:
   • You’ll typically have an OSM data layer, imagery layers, and optionally GeoJSON or task layers.
   • You can switch between multiple satellite imagery sources (for instance, Esri, Mapbox) to use the clearest one for your area.
6. Create an OSM account if you don't have one. Once you do, go to Preferences → OSM Server and press authorise now. Login with your OSM account, and authorise. Your account is now linked to JOSM on your device.
7. Load your Satellite Imagery via Imagery and select Bing aerial imagery and Esri World Imagery. In the Layers window on the right hand side you can now Show/hide the different imagery. This is also where you will load additional data layers. Changing the order of the data and imagery allows you to combine and overlap the different data sources.

3. Setup your Presets

Default MapYourGrid Presets in JOSM toolbar. Click to enlarge.

1. For ease of mapping, customise your top toolbar with presets if you have not used the default preferences. Right click the toolbar and choose Configure toolbar, then select Presets → Man Made → Man Made/Power and add Power Towers, Power Portal, Power Substation, Power Plants, Power Line and Power Generators. This are the main objects to will need for transmission grid mapping.
2. Another important Preset your will need is Add Node. You will find it under Tools → Add Node.

4. Add visual clarity with custom map styles

OhmyGrid legend for transmission grid mapping. Click to enlarge.

1. In JOSM, go to Preferences → Map Paint Styles and press the "+" in the top right.
2. Paste this URL, or download the raw file on your device, and add it.
3. Make sure the style is active in the Map Paint Styles menu.

Optional steps for an even better visual experience :

• Not all grids are made the same. Use this MapCSS file for low-density grids, or this one for high-density grids.
• Check ColorMyGrid, our MapCSS Generator tool, to easily adapt the MapCSS file to your needs. The raw data to edit the map legend is in the ColorMyGrid repo.

Everything is set up! Let's map!

1. Let's map! Choose a Good First Line

Our community is constantly investigating transmission lines that are suitable for beginner friendly mapping experiences. Simply select a 'Good First Lines' from the following spreadsheet, and tick it if you have started mapping it:

Good First Lines (Click Me)

2. Load Power Infrastructure into JOSM

1. Make sure remote control is enabled and ad-blocker disabled, and then go to the start mapping page.
2. Here you can click on the country you want to map, and it will directly open JOSM and load the data of that country. The "Default Transmission (90kV+)" data should already be selected when you open the page. Now press the country, state or province of the Good First Line you would like to map. To load data for provinces or states, simply zoom in further until the border becomes visible.
3. The data should now automaticlly appear in JOSM. In the Layer window on the right handside you should see the Data Layer. The ✅ on the left of the Data Layer should be visible, indicating that this is the active layer. All your edits in the main windows will now be part of this Data Layer

3. Map your First Line

Key JOSM elements for continuing a transmission line. Click to enlarge.

Selecting all the finished notes in a line enables you to quickly turn them into Power Towers.

Before uploading, JOSM will test your edits for known issues and various rule sets. Try to resolve as many validation results as possible. Click to enlarge.

Mapping is an iterative process, so you will make mistakes. However, this should not stop you from mapping; simply map what you can see in the imagery. Those who are new to the field should avoid altering existing data at all costs. However, you cannot break anything by adding new data, as this is constantly validated by our quality assurance tools. Now Start Mapping:

1. Zoom in on the satellite imagery until you can see the houses and roads.
2. Copy the Coordiantes of your Good First Line and press the Add Node presets button. Enter the coordiantes here and press Ok. You should now see power towers that are not mapped at the end of a transmission line.
3. Now, press the last tower symbol at the end of the line. You should now be able to extend the line.
4. Search for the next power towers you can find and click on its footprint.
5. Continue the line to the best of your ability press CTRL+F while the line is still selected. Select all nodes you have created by Entering child selected type:node AND untagged as search string. Now Press Search to select all nodes with any tag.
6. Now press the Power Tower preset followed by Apply Preset.
7. With having the Data Layer activated, press the green Upload arrow. Avoid ignoring validation results. The only acceptable warning when uploading data is Possible missing line support node within power line. To support our initiative, please use the #MapYourGrid hashtag in the comments you make in the changeset.
8. You just mapped your First Good Line. Feel free to close more First Good Lines, but make sure you leave some for the others. Finding your own lines to map is when all the tools and strategies we have provided for you come into play.

4. Upload your work

1. Click the green upload arrow in JOSM.
2. JOSM lets you know about any validation warnings. Adress them as best as you can. A "Missing line support node" can be ignored if imagery is not sufficient.
3. Include #mapyourgrid in your changeset comment to support the initiative.

Avoid these common mistakes

Mapping is an iterative process and mistakes happen. This should not stop you from mapping; simply map what you can verify based on your skillset. If a tower, lines or attributes are missing, our quality assurance tool Osmose will automatically detect this.

1. Our tools focus on transmission grids, that’s why you don’t see lines below 90 kV. To see already mapped lines below 90 kV or lines tagged with power=minor_line, download the whole area you’re working on with the green arrow pointing down.
2. When mapping, make sure to not go across the border of the country you’re working on (visible dashed orange lines). Otherwise, you may find yourself mapping something that already exists, but hasn’t been downloaded in JOSM.
3. Don’t map beyond your expertise. If unsure, leave it for experienced mappers or locals, make a fixme tag, or ask the community!

For a safe mapping, we recommend you reading about good practices.

What else? Learn the grid basics

You don’t need to be a grid expert to start mapping, but a little knowledge helps! The following documents and materials will give you a basic understanding of how to map an electrical grid.

The Learning Curve,is a youtube channel that provides multiple videos that will help you understand the basics of the electrical grid needed for grid mapping:

1. Electrical Line Supports - Transmission Towers & Poles
2. Components of Overhead Transmission Lines
3. Comparison between HVAC and HVDC transmission system

The following image is take from the report Key technology components of electricity grids Source: IEA - Electricity Grids and Secure Energy Transitions.

Key technology components of electricity grids Source: IEA - Electricity Grids and Secure Energy Transitions.

Still "On the Line" and Motivated to Continue?

Well done on making it this far! We are offering free, hands-on transmission grid mapping workshops to people who have tried the Starter-Kit. You are very welcome to join our community chat called 📍-mapyourgrid on the PyPSA-Earth discord channel. Here you can ask questions, and interact with the community. For mapping specific questions and to participate in our free personalized training, please join our 📍-mapyourgrid-support-and-training channel. Check out our Tools and Strategies to learn how to find your own new lines and become a grid mapping expert! You are also welcome to join our community calls and tutorials to learn more about the mapping process and the initiative.