If you are an active Google Earth Engine user, you have probably received an email prompting you to link your account to Cloud Projects. As of June 2024, you should have Cloud Projects to continue accessing the platform. What does that mean for GEE users?

Google Earth Engine (GEE) is a cloud-based platform that is free of charge for noncommercial use. All you need to do is create an account and explore the world of geospatial analysis, gaining access to multifaced data from various sources and storage options for your scripts and projects online. Google Earth Engine has truly metamorphosized remote sensing by enabling the analysis and visualization of satellite imagery, with accelerated processing owing to its computational power through parallel processing. Simply put, numerous computers simultaneously execute parts of a task, shortening the processing time.

Recently, GEE updated its terms of use for noncommercial users, which affects how you access the platform. You must now link your GEE account to Google Cloud Projects. Initially, GEE was an independent Google service with its systems and ran separately from other Google services. With the integration, GEE will sync with Google Cloud, which offers cloud services. GEE will now be under Google Cloud’s systems, terms, and conditions.

In 2022, GEE became a Google Cloud API. Cloud Project users could access GEE without creating an individual GEE account. With the update, GEE users with an individual GEE account but no Cloud Project will not have access to the platform. A Cloud Project is a workspace to store projects and access Google Cloud services. Some changes will include logging in and accessing GEE through Google Cloud. Nevertheless, GEE will remain free of charge for noncommercial use. Google Cloud has some billing, but you don’t have to set up a billing account or make any payments unless you are a commercial user.

The update is good because you can now access Google Cloud services. You can integrate your geospatial analysis with Google Cloud tools for a better experience. With a Cloud Project, you can run custom machine learning models with vertex AI, automate workflows, manage access and resources, and export large datasets to BigQuery to derive solutions for complex cases requiring a multifaced approach.

You will also need to review your eligibility for noncommercial use and verify that you qualify. Remember, if you don’t sign up for a Cloud Project, your GEE will stop functioning at some point.

So, how do you transition to Cloud Projects?

To transition:

  1. Open the GEE Code Editor with your GEE individual account.
  2. Click on the profile logo at the top right corner and select ‘Register a new cloud project’.
  3. Start registering for your Cloud Project by clicking ‘Register a noncommercial or commercial cloud project’.
  4. Select ‘Unpaid usage’ for noncommercial use and the category that applies to you.
  5. Select ‘Paid’ usage for commercial use.Next, choose a ‘New Google Cloud Project’ and select ‘No organization’ for the organization category.
  6. The project ID takes up your username. Click ‘Continue to Summary’.

(If you have never signed up for a Google Cloud account, an error message will appear, prompting you to accept the terms and conditions. Open the terms and conditions link to choose your country, review the terms, and click ‘Agree and continue’.)

  • Go back to the previous tab and click ‘Continue to Summary’.Review the summary of your submitted information and click ‘Confirm’.

That’s it! You will be redirected to the Code Editor, and your linked Cloud Project will be on the profile icon.

GEE is an invaluable powerhouse for geospatial analysis, including environmental monitoring, landscape change detection, and climate change studies. The platform has over 40 years of historical and global data, including multispectral images, DEMs, and Night Lights data. Integrating GEE with Google Cloud Services is bound to increase efficiency and improve the overall GEE experience, with additional tools to enrich your analysis.