This powerful and unique Model enables users to directly compare, in economic and environmental terms, central and decentralized power as options for meeting future electric capacity requirements. Based on an extensive variety of input data and user defined assumptions the model builds generation, transmission and distribution capacity and compares the results.

Required input fields include:

1. existing generating capacity and power output by technology,
2. pollutant emissions by technoogy type,
3. heat production, fuel consumption and load factor by technology type,
4. capital and investment costs of generating capacity and T&D,
5. operation and maintenance (O&M) and fuel costs by technology type,
6. estimates of overall and peak demand growth for the system,
7. estimates of future capacity retirement by technology type in five-year steps,
8. estimates of future proportion of capacity installed by technology type in five-year steps.

Outputs that are calculated include:

1. relative retail costs;
2. relative capital costs;
3. relative emissions of CO2 and other pollutants;
4. relative consumption of fossil fuels.

The Model provides a powerful and flexible tool to enable policymakers and DE industry groups to understand the economic and environmental benefits of DE. Uniquely, the Model quantifies the T&D costs, a major component of overall capital and retail costs, but usually ignored in comparisons of generation options.

To see a presentation illustrating the model click here.
To download a copy of the model brochure click here.