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The Bottom Line on Climate Policy series provides quick answers to important questions about climate and energy policy.

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The Carbon Value Analysis Tool (CVAT) v1.3 allows project managers to factor in the price of carbon when evaluating greenhouse gas reduction projects.

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Carbon Value Analysis Tool (CVAT)


CVAT version 1.3 is now available. CVAT v1.3 includes various upgrades and improvements, and is compatible with Excel 2000 and all later versions.

CVAT is a screening tool to help companies integrate the value of carbon dioxide emissions reductions into energy-related investment decisions. The tool has two main purposes:

  • Test the sensitivity of a project's internal rate of return (IRR) to "carbon value" (the value of GHG emissions reductions). CVAT integrates this value into traditional financial analysis by ascribing a market price, either actual or projected, to carbon emissions reductions.
  • Facilitate the development of emissions reduction strategies by developing a Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) across a portfolio of projects. CVAT ranks projects so managers can prioritize them according to their implicit cost per tonne of carbon emission reduction.

Download CVAT 1.3

CVAT estimates direct and indirect emissions reductions using standards developed by the GHG Protocol Initiative (www.ghgprotocol.org). CVAT can also run a Monte Carlo analysis for key project variables such as carbon value, providing insights into the possible range of a project’s IRR.

CVAT screeen shot

To analyze a project, CVAT asks for four types of information: (1) basic project information, (2) some details about the project’s design and operation, (3) assumptions about future energy prices, and (4) foreign exchange rates (for projects denominated in currencies other than US dollars).

CVAT is designed for use by many types of professionals, including project managers, engineers and energy managers in large companies.

Operating Requirements

Excel 2000 or later. Some functionality may be lost with earlier versions of Excel. The security level in Excel must be set to Medium and Macros must be enabled to operate CVAT. To enable macros, click on Tools > Macros > Security > Medium from the Excel Toolbar Menu.

Forthcoming versions of CVAT with updates and revisions will be published here and on WRI's website.

We welcome your feedback, questions and suggestions:

Clay Rigdon, tel: (202) 729-7636, crigdon@wri.org

Download CVAT 1.3

Using Electricity efficiently Many corporate energy efficiency measures pay for themselves in less than a year. These investments positively effect the bottom line and reduce indirect greenhouse gas emissions.

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