New NREL Platform Helps Organizations Make Smarter Energy Decisions

Navigating large-scale electricity procurement is increasingly complex for commercial, industrial, academic, and public-sector organizations. The Procurement Analysis Tool (PAT), developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), simplifies early-stage energy planning with data-driven insights tailored to user goals. This free, web-based platform helps users explore and compare utility-scale energy options across the U.S.—no technical expertise required.

PAT enables scenario planning across multiple sites, offers guidance on procurement pathways like PPAs and utility programs, and delivers personalized results based on cost, technology, and sustainability goals. Built on NREL’s industry-leading datasets and models, PAT equips energy buyers with actionable information to make informed, strategic decisions about clean energy investments. “Our goal with PAT is to make it easy for organizations to understand their options—whether they’re new to the process or have years of experience,” said NREL analyst Jeff Cook, who co-led the development of the tool. “Its easy-to-use interface walks users through a series of questions and identifies actionable, cost-informed energy procurement strategies that reflect their operational needs and priorities.”