ELOCATE is E3’s geospatial tool designed to deliver critical and comprehensive insights into the landscape and commercial potential of candidate sites for energy and data center development. By integrating data from a wide range of sources, including but not limited to the EIA, EPA, Independent System Operators (ISOs), the U.S. Census Bureau, FEMA, and more, the tool provides a comprehensive view of the key local factors that influence both large load development and broader energy infrastructure planning and investment. RELOCATE offers detailed visibility into a location’s current and planned generation profile, electricity and land costs, nearby data centers, and additional contextual factors essential for site selection.

The tool is particularly useful for investors and developers evaluating the feasibility of new data center projects. It calculates the proximity to fiber infrastructure, assesses land acquisition costs, and identifies existing or planned data centers in the surrounding area, providing a clear view of potential competition. In addition, RELOCATE provides detailed electricity market insights, including current and historical nodal wholesale price trends, as well as congestion patterns. It also presents information on existing generation capacity and an outlook on power plant additions enriched with interconnection queue data.

RELOCATE includes a detailed summary of historical nodal price basis for any identified site. Using E3’s established Level 1 nodal price forecast methodology, this leverages hourly Locational Marginal Prices (LMPs) and corresponding hub prices from both the day-ahead and real-time energy markets. Historical basis is calculated as the LMP minus the hub price for each hour. RELOCATE includes a minimum of 3 years of historical data to reflect seasonal and diurnal trends, hourly basis magnitude, and arbitrage opportunities, while filtering out unrepresentative historical outliers.

Beyond technical and economic factors, RELOCATE also helps identify environmental constraints that may inhibit development. This includes highlighting non-attainment areas as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency, ensuring users are aware of permitting or regulatory risks early in the site evaluation process. To understand disaster risk, the model leverages data from FEMA on risk exposure to wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, and other catastrophes.

For any interested clients, E3 also provides nodal analysis at Levels 2, 3, and 4. Level 2 augments Level 1 by incorporating critical research conducted on interconnection queue dynamics, transmission access and planned upgrades, and any meaningful changes in expected demand to provide a more robust forecast. Level 3 augments Level 2 with a range of scenarios based on different potential historical data and the Level 2 research. E3’s Level 4 forecast leverages our custom PLEXOS models to conduct production cost simulation at the nodal level.

The tool is designed for:

• Investors looking to assess land availability, labor capacity, and local energy resource access before acquiring potential development sites.
• Storage and renewable energy developers seeking to evaluate environmental exposure, and drivers behind energy price shapes for existing and pipeline assets.
• Data center developers seeking insight into site feasibility, cost structures, and electricity procurement options.

The tool supports a wide range of use cases. Generation, transmission, and distribution planning authorities, developers, and investors can use RELOCATE to inform siting decisions and pricing strategies in the context of nearby generation and local or nodal demand. On the demand side, data center operators can assess long-term cost competitiveness and evaluate nearby market entrants, as well as potential electricity supply options.

Currently in version 2.1, E3 is actively working to improve RELOCATE, with new features and data added regularly to enhance its analytical capabilities and user experience.

For any interested clients, E3 also provides nodal analysis at Levels 2, 3, and 4. Level 2 augments Level 1 by incorporating critical research conducted on interconnection queue dynamics, transmission access and planned upgrades, and any meaningful changes in expected demand to provide a more robust forecast. Level 3 augments Level 2 with a range of scenarios based on different potential historical data and the Level 2 research. E3’s Level 4 forecast leverages our custom PLEXOS models to conduct production cost simulation at the nodal level.

Illustrative Example:

A large-scale storage developer uses RELOCATE to assess historical and potential price volatility for more than 20 sites (defined by latitude and longitude coordinates) across MISO, ERCOT and PJM.

A sample template of RELOCATE can be found here.*

To request pricing and to order the tool please contact kushal.patel@ethree.com.

*Please note that all the names reported in this tool are entirely fictitious, and the locations were selected for sample purposes only.