MAC Assessor Spreadsheet
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This tool developed by the Midwest Clean Energy Application Center is an easy to use screening tool which takes monthly electric and gas bills, certain other basic CHP system inputs to provide an approximate screening analysis with regards to CHP feasibility.


Cogen Ready Reckoner
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Cogen Ready Reckoner is a program to assist users with a “first pass” technical and financial analysis of cogeneration at their site.  The program is a ‘Ready Reckoner’ intended for quick preliminary evaluations. The Cogeneration Ready Reckoner is distributed by the Australian Commonwealth Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources in association with the Australian EcoGeneration Association (to become the Australian Business Council for Sustainable Energy). The Ready Reckoner conducts a simple technical and financial analysis of a cogeneration opportunity. Should the cogeneration opportunity appear attractive on this evaluation, then it is recommended that the user conduct more detailed analyses, or engage suitable advisers to consider the project evaluation to the extent necessary to commit funds or to entertain alternative.


Southeast Screening Tool
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A simple, basic, first pass online screening tool developed by the Southeast Clean Energy Application Center. Requested inputs include electricity and gas unit costs, capital costs and generator efficiency. Outputs include Simple payback and spark spread.


GC CEAC Screening Tool
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The user-friendly, open source tool was developed by the GC CEAC to analyze potential of combined heat and power systems. 12 months of utility consumption and costs (electricity and gas) along with operational hours are enough to generate results. For a user more familiar with CHP systems, optional inputs can be changed to tailor site-specific conditions. Economic and technical outputs for four different scenarios are presented as outputs – The highest efficiency option, the trigeneration option, the highest reliability option and the custom option. The custom option can be selected to analyze particular prime-mover results, as well as to include or exclude absorption chilling.

BCHP
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Primary use: Hourly Analysis of CHP applications in commercial buildings

Cost: Free

Version 2 of the BCHP Tool is a significant enhancement of Version 1.2, and consists of the executable program, databases for HVAC equipment, electric generators, thermal storage systems, prototypical commercial
buildings, climate data, and electric and gas utility rates. The program runs DOE2.1e in the background to calculate heating, cooling, and electrical loads and the Rate Script Editor to calculate monthly and annual utility costs. The 
tool is structured to perform parametric analyses between a baseline building and up to 25 alternative scenarios.


Building Energy Analyzer Pro 3.0
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Primary use: Hourly Analysis of CHP applications in commercial buildings

Cost: $780

Building Energy Analyzer™ PRO 3.0 is a software tool that aids heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) professionals in tailoring economic analyses for several types of facilities. The program allows users to estimate critical information such as annual or monthly loads and costs associated with air-conditioning, heating, and on-site power generation for commercial buildings. Building Energy Analyzer PRO compares the performance of a wide variety of HVAC technologies, such as standard- and high-efficiency electric chillers, variable-speed electric chillers, absorption chillers, engine-driven chillers, on-site power generators, thermal storage, heat recovery, and desiccant systems. It performs quick-to-use economic analysis for the customer's utility rates, location, and building type. Additional features include: templates for 15 typical commercial building types; handles complex utility rates; weather data for 233 cities; and performs life-cycle cost analysis on building cooling, heating, and power generation (BCHP) equipment. New features in the PRO version include hourly modeling data and the Retrofit Wizard, which helps users calibrate program input for buildings considered for retrofit. Not compatible on 64 bit machines.

GT PRO
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GT PRO automates the process of designing a combined cycle or gas turbine cogeneration plant.  GT PRO is particularly effective for creating new designs and finding their optimal configuration and design parameters.  The user inputs design criteria and assumptions and the program computes heat and mass balance, system performance, and component sizing.  The scope and level of detail in GT PRO has been continuously growing since 1988, to the point that the 2008 version has over 3000 user-adjustable inputs.  Most key inputs are automatically created by intelligent design procedures that help the user identify the best design with minimal time and effort, while allowing the flexibility to make any changes or adjustments.  GT PRO is truly easy to use, typically requiring only a few minutes to create a new plant design.  It normally computes a heat balance and simultaneously designs the required equipment in under five seconds.  When run in conjunction with the optional PEACE module, the programs provide extensive engineering and cost estimation details.

Trail & Lite versions available for download. Contact Thermoflow for pricing


SOAPP
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SOAPP (State-of-the-Art Power Plant) software for gas turbine project analysis creates unique, detailed, project-specific conceptual designs, including heat balances, equipment design, cost estimates, and pro forma. Sophisticated, embedded engineering expertise supported by comprehensive process and equipment models keeps you from getting bogged down making engineering decisions, freeing you to concentrate on only the most critical process, equipment, and design criteria.


HEATMAP©
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HEATMAP© is a WINDOWS-base software tool that aids energy planners in designing and evaluating district energy systems, including integrated Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and geothermal applications. HEATMAP© provides comprehensive computerized simulations of CHP, district heating and cooling systems, allowing users to analyze the performance of existing networks as well as
model proposed systems, expansions, or upgrades.
HEATMAP is temporarily unavailable while it is undergoing a major revision. It is planned that it will be available for free download in the future.

RELCOST Financial - Economic Calculator
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Cost: Free

The RELCOST Financial model, a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet template, is used for evaluating the financial viability of energy projects. It can be used to evaluate a variety of factors key to project success, such as the minimum power sales or carbon offset price, the optimum mix of equity and capital to attract investors, or sensitivity to incentives.  Three methods of evaluating financial performance are provided by RELCOST: life cycle cost analysis, proforma statements, and financial ratios.

Proforma financial statements provided are the Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement, Balance Sheet, and Sources/Uses of Funds Statement for each project year in the 20-year analysis period. Flexible user inputs include capital costs for construction, funding (equity, grants, and loans), operating costs (purchased fuels, labor, materials/expendables, etc.), taxes and fees (depreciation, tax credits, franchise costs, tax rates, etc.), cost escalation factors, income from energy, power and co-product sales, and income from sales of carbon offsets, renewable energy credits and renewable energy production incentives. Use of financial ratios and other financial performance indicators enable the RELCOST user to evaluate project financial outcomes under various model scenarios. These model scenarios are displayed on a Financial Scorecard in a stop-light chart (Red-Yellow-Green) for quick assessment.  The ability to rapidly conduct "What If" evaluations using sensitivity factors on key project inputs enables the user to determine those factors that represent the greatest amount of risk to the project, obtain guidance on key points of negotiation, identify break-even values, and examine alternative scenarios.


RETScreen: Financial & Emissions Analysis
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Cost: Free

The RETScreen Clean Energy Project Analysis Software is a unique decision support tool developed with the contribution of numerous experts from government, industry, and academia. The software, provided free-of-charge, can be used worldwide to evaluate the energy production and savings, costs, emission reductions, financial viability and risk for various types of Renewable-energy and Energy-efficient Technologies (RETs). The software (available in multiple languages) also includes product, project, hydrology and climate databases, a detailed user manual, and a case study based college/university-level training course, including an engineering e-textbook.


EPA Emissions Calculator
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The Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Emissions Calculator compares the anticipated carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from a CHP system to those of a separate heat and power system. The calculator also presents estimated emissions reductions as metric tons of carbon equivalent and emissions from passenger vehicles. The calculator provides concise instructions and default values for each of the inputs within the tool. To view input notes, move the mouse cursor over any cell with a red triangle in its upper right-hand corner. The tool will work with a minimum of three pieces of information about the CHP system being evaluated. A) Technology type, B) Size/capacity & C) Fuel type.