State and utility policy makers, county officials, and other interested stakeholders can now explore the best ways to improve the bottom line of consumer-owned wind turbines with a new Distributed Wind Policy Comparison Tool and accompanying User Guide.  Version 2.1 of the Distributed Wind Policy Comparison Tool includes several updates reflecting changes in market conditions, refined assumptions, and improved user interface elements.

In one of the most significant usability upgrades allowing more flexibility in examining selected scenarios, users can now adjust the assumed Annual Energy Production (AEP) with a slider bar on the Technical page. Incentive calculations for numerous states including Wisconsin, California, New York, Vermont, Oregon, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, Idaho, and Texas are updated based on the Policy Tool’s customized feed from the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency www.dsireusa.org.

As part of a project funded by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Policy Tool uses a dashboard-interfaced pro forma financial model to calculate the impact rebates, tax credits, feed-in tariffs (FITS) and other incentives and policies have on project economics. The project helps address market challenges identified in the U.S. DOE “20% Wind Energy by 2030” report, available at www.20percentwind.org, for distributed wind as part of a diverse clean energy portfolio.

Full Press Release

USER INSTRUCTIONS AND TIPS

USER GUIDE

PROJECT BACKGROUND

NEWS AND PRESS ABOUT THE PROJECT

DISTRIBUTED WIND POLICY COMPARISON TOOL GUIDEBOOK

The Guidebook is also available through the U.S. Department of Energy Wind and Water Power Program online library.