How It Works
Everything you need to know about using WattMarkets
Quick Start
Upload Your File
Drag and drop any 8760 load file. We auto-detect the format, timestamps, and values.
Explore Your Data
Instantly see time series charts, load duration curves, heatmaps, and key statistics.
Model Scenarios
Enable ISO pricing and compare contract structures side-by-side.
Supported File Formats
Supported
- CSV files (.csv)
- Excel files (.xlsx, .xls)
- Tab-separated files (.tsv, .txt)
- Semicolon or pipe-delimited files
- Files with multiple header rows
- Files with date and time in separate columns
Not Supported (Yet)
- PDF files
- XML files
- JSON files
- Password-protected Excel files
- Files larger than 25MB
Timestamp Detection
We automatically detect most common timestamp formats:
| Format | Example |
|---|---|
| ISO 8601 | 2024-01-15T14:00:00 |
| US Date + Time | 1/15/2024 2:00 PM |
| Date + 24hr Time | 2024-01-15 14:00 |
| Excel Serial Number | 45306.583333 |
| Separate Date/Time Columns | 1/15/2024 + 14:00 |
| Hour Ending (HE) | 1, 2, 3... 24 with a start date |
If we can't auto-detect your timestamp format, you can manually select the timestamp column.
Value Units
We detect and normalize these units automatically:
Power (Demand)
kW— kilowatts (most common)MW— megawatts (converted to kW)W— watts (converted to kW)
Energy (Consumption)
kWh— kilowatt-hoursMWh— megawatt-hours (converted)Wh— watt-hours (converted)
Interval Detection
We determine your data interval from the row count or timestamp deltas:
| Row Count | Interval | Data Type |
|---|---|---|
| 8,760 | 60 min | Hourly (standard year) |
| 8,784 | 60 min | Hourly (leap year) |
| 35,040 | 15 min | 15-minute (standard year) |
| 35,136 | 15 min | 15-minute (leap year) |
| 105,120 | 5 min | 5-minute (standard year) |
ISO Pricing
We provide historical settlement prices from 7 North American ISOs:
LZ_HOUSTON, LZ_NORTH, LZ_SOUTH, LZ_WEST + 4 more
PECO, BGE, PEPCO, DOM + 18 more
PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, VEA
NYC, Long Island, Hudson Valley + 8 more
Connecticut, Maine, NH, Boston + 4 more
Ameren, Consumers, DTE, Xcel + 11 more
OG&E, KCPL, NPPD + 6 more
Contract Scenarios
Model up to 3 contract structures and compare them side-by-side:
Fixed Price
Simple all-in price per MWh. Good for budget certainty.
Cost = MWh × Fixed PriceIndexed + Adder
Pay the market index plus a fixed adder and basis differential.
Cost = MWh × (Index + Adder + Basis) × (1 + Loss%)Cap / Collar
Indexed pricing with a ceiling (cap) and optional floor.
Price is clamped between floor and cap before multiplyingBlock + Index
Fixed price for a block of power, index price for the remainder.
Block MWh at fixed price + excess MWh at indexExporting Data
Export your analysis in multiple formats:
- Normalized CSV — Your load data with standardized timestamps (UTC + local), kW values, and quality flags
- Summary JSON — All statistics (peak, average, load factor, monthly breakdown) in machine-readable format
- Priced Dataset — Load data with matched prices and interval costs (when pricing is enabled)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my data uploaded to your servers?
No. All file parsing and analysis happens in your browser. Your load data never leaves your device. We only fetch pricing data from our API when you enable the pricing overlay.
Why doesn't my file parse correctly?
The most common issues are: (1) timestamps in an unusual format, (2) multiple header rows that confuse detection, or (3) value columns without unit indicators. Try selecting columns manually in the parsing options.
Can I analyze multiple meters/sites at once?
Currently, WattMarkets analyzes one load profile at a time. Multi-site rollup is on our roadmap.
How current is the pricing data?
We backfill historical settlement prices daily. Real-time pricing updates are on our roadmap.
What's the difference between kW and kWh?
kW (kilowatts) measures instantaneous power/demand. kWh (kilowatt-hours) measures energy consumed over time. We convert between them using your interval: kWh = kW × (interval minutes / 60).