FAQ
Below we have provided answers to a few frequently asked questions about The Big Green Machine.
What is The Big Green Machine?
The Big Green Machine tracks investments in clean energy supply chains in North America.
Why did we create The Big Green Machine?
On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which includes provisions to strengthen domestic supply chains and spur investment in clean energy and manufacturing. New projects are being announced weekly.
Who is running this?
The website, dashboard, and database have been assembled by Jay Turner and student researchers in the Environmental Studies Department at Wellesley College.
What does The Big Green Machine include?
TBGM provides detailed information for projects in the wind, solar, battery, and electric vehicle supply chains, including project status, target jobs generated, union status, the role of foreign investments, socioeconomic indicators of the communities where projects are located, environmental justice, electricity grid demands, and more.
What isn’t The Big Green Machine tracking?
The Big Green Machine tracks the supply chain - from mine to factory - needed to make these clean energy technologies. The Big Green Machine doesn’t track deployment of clean energy technologies. For example, that means we track factories manufacturing solar panels, but not how many or where solar arrays are being deployed. On TBGM website, we have included access to other trackers available online and provide compare and contrast.
Where are we getting information from?
TBGM is compiled from publicly available sources of information, such as press releases, regulatory filings, zoning documents, government documents, and media coverage. Specific sources for a site can be accessed through this navigation table.
How often is The Big Green Machine updated?
At least monthly, we will post updated versions of TBGM on Instagram and X (Twitter) around the 16th day of each month, the anniversary of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Can you download data?
Absolutely, you can! Request access to the Google Sheet version of the dataset by visiting our website, which is linked in our bio. Once you open the website, go to Menu > Resources > Access Database, and you'll find the link to access data right at the top.