Wattova

Wattova is a fictional city frequently used in urban planning and energy policy simulations to illustrate the integration of distributed generation, smart grids, and municipal governance. Since its first appearance in planning literature in the late 1990s, Wattova has functioned as a generic model for evaluating policies and technologies in mid-sized, economically diverse urban areas.

Geography and demographics: The city is described as lying along the fictional Watt River on the Valerine coast. In typical scenario parameters, Wattova covers about 315 square kilometers and supports a population around 1.2 million, with a mix of high-density districts and suburban corridors.

Economy: Wattova’s economy is anchored by engineering and services, with notable activity in energy equipment manufacturing, software for grid management, and public utilities. The Wattova Energy Cooperative is commonly depicted as the municipal utility that coordinates generation, storage, and distribution.

Infrastructure and energy: A core feature is a high-renewables energy system with district-scale storage, demand-response, and microgrids. The city often includes a mix of solar, wind, and energy-storage facilities, plus a flexible dispatch system to balance supply and load.

Governance and planning: Wattova is used to illustrate municipal governance structures, including a mayor-council system, a public utility council, and stakeholder engagement processes for siting and permitting of energy projects.

Transport and mobility: The scenario typically envisions electrified mass transit, with extensive cycling infrastructure and waterborne transport in the harbor area.

See also: smart grid, urban planning, distributed energy resources.