Navigating Utility-Scale Energy Procurement Just Got Easier - CleanTechnica

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has developed a new web-based tool called the Procurement Analysis Tool (PAT) to simplify large-scale electricity procurement for commercial, industrial, academic, and public-sector organizations. PAT offers a user-friendly, guided interface that enables energy buyers—regardless of expertise—to explore and compare off-site utility-scale energy options across the United States. Key features include scenario planning for multiple sites, exploration of procurement options based on preferred load-serving entities, access to data on renewable energy technologies and resource regions, and personalized recommendations tailored to users’ operational needs and priorities. The tool also allows users to export detailed resources to support their procurement decisions. PAT addresses a significant gap in the market by focusing on off-site energy procurement, an area with few mature analytical tools, especially for organizations lacking in-house technical expertise. Since its beta release in 2022, PAT has been refined through stakeholder feedback and is now used by over 180 early adopters, including local governments, corporations, educational