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Models and Tools

Use models and tools developed or supported by NREL to assess, analyze, and optimize renewable energy and 

energy efficiency technologies for your project. Many of these tools can be applied on a global, regional, local, or 

project basis. NREL models and tools include several designed for the consumer or energy professional.

Technology and Performance Analysis

PVWatts

Estimates the electricity production of a gridconnected roof- or ground-mounted 

photovoltaic system based on a few simple 

inputs.

The Energy DataBus

Open-source software that collects massive 

amounts of energy-related data at second-to

-second intervals.

Building Life-Cycle Cost (BLCC) 

Analyze capital investments in buildings. 

Includes the Energy Escalation Rate 

Calculator 2.0-13.

EnergyPlus Simulation Program

Helps building designers and owners save 

money, reduce energy use, and improve 

indoor air quality.

Federal Renewable Energy Screening 

Assistant (FRESA)

Helps federal agencies analyze the use of 

renewable energy technologies for buildings 

and facilities.

Geothermal Prospector

Designed to provide easy access to 

geothermal resource datasets and other data 

relevant to utility-scale geothermal power 

projects.

Solar Deployment System (SolarDS)

Examine the market competitiveness of solar 

PV technologies from the building user's 

perspective. Contact Paul Denholm or read 

documentation for more information.

Solar and Wind Energy Resource 

Assessment (SWERA) Model

Use NREL's geospatial toolkit to visualize 

solar and wind resource data in 13 

developing countries. Contact Dan Getman

for more information.

Scenario Evaluation, Regionalization and 

Analysis (SERA)

Determine optimal production and delivery 

scenarios for hydrogen, with this geospatial 

and temporal infrastructure analysis model.

Biomass Scenario Model (BSM)

Determine which supply chain changes would 

have the greatest potential to accelerate the 

deployment of biofuels.

Theoretical Ethanol Yield Calculator 

Calculate the theoretical ethanol yield of a 

particular biomass feedstock, based on its 

sugar content.

Energy Systems Analysis

Interactive Mapping Tools

Access RE Atlas, Solar Power Prospector, 

PVWatts, and other popular tools that 

dynamically generate maps of renewable 

energy resources.

Regional Energy Deployment System 

(ReEDS)

NREL uses this multi-regional, multi-time 

period, GIS and linear programming model of 

U.S. electric sector capacity expansion to 

analyze critical issues in the electric sector.

HOMER

Evaluate design options for both off-grid and 

grid-connected power systems for remote, 

stand-alone, and distributed generation 

applications. HOMER is licensed to and 

maintained by Homer Energy.

Buildings Industry Transportation 

Electricity Scenarios (BITES)

See how changes in energy demand and 

supply by economic sector can impact carbon 

dioxide emissions.

REFlex

NREL uses this dispatch model to evaluate 

renewable generation as a function of system 

flexibility, and enabling technologies like 

demand response. Contact Paul Denholm for 

more information.

Stochastic Energy Deployment System 

(SEDS)

NREL uses this capacity-expansion model of 

the U.S. energy market to conduct 

deterministic or stochastic analysis. 

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NREL: Energy Analysis - Models and Tools Page 1 of 2

http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/models_tools.html 6/9/2014
Economic and Financial Analysis

Job and Economic Development Impact 

(JEDI) Model

Use these easy-to-use, spreadsheet-based 

tools to analyze the economic impacts of 

constructing and operating power generation 

and biofuel plants at the local and state level. 

Cost of Renewable Energy Spreadsheet 

Tool (CREST)

Assess solar, wind, or geothermal projects, 

design cost-based incentives, and evaluate 

the impact of tax incentives or other support 

structures with this cash flow model.

PV JEDI

Estimate the economic impacts of 

constructing and operating photovoltaic 

power generation at the local and state 

levels.

System Advisor Model (SAM) 

Make performance predictions and cost of 

energy estimates for grid-connected power 

projects based on system design parameters 

that you specify.

H2A Model

Hydrogen production and delivery models 

used for analyzing the economics of 

distributed and centralized hydrogen 

production from various energy resources, 

including renewables, coal, natural gas, and 

biomass.

The U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, provides information on more 

than 200 software tools for energy analysis.

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Content Last Updated: March 24, 2014

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NREL: Energy Analysis - Models and Tools Page 2 of 2

http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/models_tools.html 6/9/2014