# Welcome to Energy Web
Energy Web is an independent nonprofit accelerating the global energy transition by developing open-source Web3 software solutions that help companies unlock business value from clean and distributed energy resources. This site provides an overview of the foundational concepts, technical components, and use cases of the Energy Web Decentralized Operating System (EW-DOS).
EW-DOS gives companies simple tools to deploy custom applications and business networks that combine established protocols and platforms with pioneering technologies and novel architectures.
## :bulb: Get Started
### Learn More about EW Solutions
Energy Web's tech stack is designed to address two primary challenges in the current energy and renewables market:
* [Helping electricity market participants share information and coordinate operations to maximize the value of clean and distributed energy resources](https://docs.energyweb.org/legacy-documentation/solutions-2023/data-exchange)
* [Create open, scalable marketplaces for transparent and efficient renewable energy purchasing](https://docs.energyweb.org/legacy-documentation/solutions-2023/green-proofs)
### Learn More about EW-DOS Components
Click on any of the boxes below to learn more about the EW-DOS technical components.
### Learn about EW-DOS foundational concepts
* [Self-Sovereign Identity](https://docs.energyweb.org/legacy-documentation/foundational-concepts/self-sovereign-identity-introduction)
* [Open-Source Software](https://docs.energyweb.org/legacy-documentation/foundational-concepts/open-source-software)
* [Ethereum Blockchain Technology](https://docs.energyweb.org/legacy-documentation/foundational-concepts/ethereum)
### Develop with the Energy Web Chain
* [Getting started with EW-DOS](https://docs.energyweb.org/legacy-documentation/ew-dos-technology-components-2023/trust-layer-energy-web-chain/ewc-guides-and-tutorials/getting-started-with-ew-dos#1-install-metamask)
* [Connect to the Energy Web Chain using MetaMask](https://docs.energyweb.org/legacy-documentation/ew-dos-technology-components-2023/trust-layer-energy-web-chain/ewc-guides-and-tutorials/connect-to-energy-web-chain-main-network-with-metamash)
* [Run a local node of the Volta Test Network or production network](https://docs.energyweb.org/legacy-documentation/ew-dos-technology-components-2023/trust-layer-energy-web-chain/ewc-guides-and-tutorials/running-a-local-node)
* [Get Energy Web Tokens](https://docs.energyweb.org/legacy-documentation/ew-dos-technology-components-2023/trust-layer-energy-web-chain/energy-web-token#get-ewt)
* [Get Volta Testnet Tokens](https://docs.energyweb.org/legacy-documentation/community-resources/using-the-energy-web-chain/volta-testnet-token#get-tokens)
* [Deploy a smart contract on Volta Test Network](https://docs.energyweb.org/legacy-documentation/ew-dos-technology-components-2023/trust-layer-energy-web-chain/ewc-guides-and-tutorials/deploy-a-smart-contract-on-volta-with-remix)
{% hint style="info" %}
For a deep-dive into the motivation and methodology behind our technical solutions, we encourage you to read our White Papers:
* [Energy Web X Light Paper](https://www.energyweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/EWX-Lightpaper.pdf) (2023)
* Energy Web [White Paper](https://www.energyweb.org/reports/EWDOS-Vision-Purpose/) on Vision and Purpose (2020)
* Energy Web [White Paper](https://www.energyweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/EnergyWeb-EWDOS-PART2-TechnologyDetail-202006-vFinal.pdf) on Technology Detail (2020)
{% endhint %}
## A Note on this Site's Documentation
EW-DOS builds on the foundations of other open-source technologies and uses many well-known libraries and technologies in the stack, so this documentation provides references and links to other articles and sources of documentation throughout.
We encourage you to become familiar with the core concepts of blockchain technology and [self-sovereign identity](https://docs.energyweb.org/legacy-documentation/foundational-concepts/self-sovereign-identity-introduction) if you are new to this space. The Foundational Concepts section provides brief explainers for what we think is essential to understand our technology. They point you toward more in-depth resources and documentation.
We are an open-source foundation and we want our solutions to be accessible and our community to be wide. Please provide feedback or questions on the documentation by reaching out on [Telegram](https://t.me/energyweb), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/energywebx), or [Discord](https://discord.com/channels/706103009205288990/843967462042370108).
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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:
```
GET https://docs.energyweb.org/legacy-documentation/readme.md?ask=
```
The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.