Clean Energy Policy Analysis

With RETScreen®

Photo Credit: Strong, Steven DOE/NREL

Objectives

 Raise awareness of clean energy

policies

 Show how RETScreen can be

used throughout the policy cycle

 Introduce the RETScreen Clean

Energy Policy Toolkit
What is RETScreen?

 World’s preeminent clean energy decision-making software

 36 languages covering more than 2/3rds of the world’s population

 More than 350,000 users in 222 countries and territories; over 500
universities and colleges using for teaching and research

 Over $8 billion in user savings as of 2012

 Provided free-of-charge by the Government of Canada

Clean Energy Policies - Incentives

 Direct Cash Payments

 Grants and Rebates
 Performance-Based Payments

 Tax Incentives
 Tax Credits
 Tax Exemptions
 Accelerated Depreciation

 Loan Programs
Clean Energy Policies - Regulations

 Building Code Mandates

 Favourable Permitting
Rules

 Interconnection Standards
Clean Energy Policies - Hybrids

 Feed-in Tariffs

 Utility Quota Obligations

 Net Metering

 Emissions & Environmental

Attributes Trading
RETScreen for Projects and Policy

RETScreen as a tool to demonstrate the viability of clean

energy projects

But also…

…useful for planning, designing, implementing, and

reviewing the viability of clean energy policies
The Policy Cycle

 Inform

 Design

 Implement

 Monitor

 Review
Examples of RETScreen Use for Policy

 International (UNFCCC)

 National (Canada)

 Sub-National (Texas)

 Municipal (Toronto)

 Utility (National Grid)

RETScreen Clean Energy Policy Toolkit

 Developed by RETScreen International

 Financially supported by a grant from the Renewable

Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP)

 Includes Case Studies/Templates, e-Textbook Chapter,

Training Slides, and Sample Documents

 Available on the RETScreen Website and within the

RETScreen User Manual
Case Studies & Templates

 Power – Photovoltaic – Feed-in Tariff – Policy / Canada

 Power – Wind – GHG Reduction Income – Policy / China

 Heating – Solar Water Heater – Capital Cost Incentive – Policy / USA

 User-defined – Tax and Finance Measures – Policy / Canada

+ many more!
Presentation Slides & e-Textbook Chapter

See e-Textbook
Clean Energy Project Analysis:
RETScreen® Engineering and Cases

Clean Energy Policy Analysis with RETScreen

Software
Demo
Case Study: GHG Reduction Income

 Basic information:
 100 MW off-shore wind farm
 Cost @ $2,500/kW
 70% debt @ 6% interest rate

 Scenario 1:
 Guess at capacity factor of 30%
 Assume cost of coal-fired electricity is around $0.06/kWh
 2% annual escalation rate

 Scenario 2:
 Determine rate ($/CO2) on the carbon market required to
be paid to the project developer (over 21 years) to
achieve an 18% pre-tax IRR on equity
Questions?

Clean Energy Policy Toolkit

RETScreen® International Clean Energy Project Analysis Course

For further information please visit the RETScreen Website at

www.retscreen.net