Region
North America
Resource Type
Analysis Tools
Expertise Level
Generalist
Language
English
Inputs Needed
Project size and performance
Capital costs
Operations and maintenance expenses
Construction financing
Permanent financing
Capital costs
Operations and maintenance expenses
Construction financing
Permanent financing
Outputs Provided
Year one cost of energy (COE)
Levelized cost of energy (LCOE)
Levelized cost of energy (LCOE)
Developer or Source
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
The Cost of Renewable Energy Spreadsheet Tool (CREST) is an economic cash flow model designed to allow policymakers, regulators, and the renewable energy community to assess project economics, design cost-based incentives (e.g., feed-in tariffs), and evaluate the impact of various state and federal support structures. CREST is a suite of five analytic tools, for solar (photovoltaic and solar thermal), wind, geothermal, anaerobic digestion, and fuel cell technologies.