This guide is for energy researchers who want to add new parameter data to the OpenTech-DB catalogue — for example, CAPEX values for a new electrolyzer variant, updated efficiency figures from a recent IRENA report, or storage round-trip efficiency from a manufacturer datasheet.
You do not need to understand code, databases, or the Open Energy Ontology (OEO) to contribute. The review process handles ontology alignment. What you do need is data with sources.
Technology — a category of energy device (e.g., “PEM Electrolyzer”, “Offshore Wind Fixed-bottom”). One Technology groups many Instances.
Instance — one specific data point within a Technology: a manufacturer variant, a projection scenario, or a vintage (e.g., “PEM Electrolyzer – 1 MW, IRENA 2023”). Your contribution will be one or more Instances.
Parameter — a measured quantity (e.g., CAPEX, efficiency, lifetime). Every Parameter must carry:
Click Sign in in the top navigation bar and authenticate with your ORCID iD.
Navigate to Contribute in the sidebar. You will see the contributor workspace with a list of existing Technologies.
Search or browse the catalogue to find the Technology you want to contribute an Instance to. If the Technology does not exist yet, you can create a new one — fill in the name, domain (generation / storage / transmission / conversion), and a short description.
Click Add Instance on the Technology card. Fill in:
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Instance name | Yes | Descriptive label, e.g. “PEM Electrolyzer – 1 MW, IRENA 2023” |
| Reference year | Yes | Year the data represents |
| Life-cycle stage | Yes | commercial, projection, or demonstration |
| CAPEX (USD/kW) | If available | Include source and year |
| Fixed O&M (USD/kW/yr) | If available | Include source and year |
| Variable O&M (USD/MWh) | If available | Include source and year |
| Efficiency (%) | If available | Include source and year |
| Economic lifetime (years) | If available | Include source and year |
| Other parameters | If available | Use the “Extra parameters” section |
You do not need to fill in every field — partial submissions are accepted as long as each filled field has a source.
For each Parameter, enter a source reference. Acceptable formats:
If a single source covers all parameters in the Instance, you can set it once at the Instance level.
Click Submit for review. Your Submission enters a pending state — it is now queued for admin review and will not appear in the public catalogue until approved.
Review typically takes a few business days.
oeo_class, oeo_uri) — the reviewer handles ontology alignment during review. You only need to provide the data and sources.Open an issue on the GitHub repository or contact the maintainers at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology.