Excel PV & Battery Evaluator
Budget: €250 – €750 EUR
I need a streamlined Excel workbook that lets me gauge, at a glance, whether a photovoltaic array with battery storage—or a stand-alone battery bank—makes financial sense for a client. The template must stay friendly for non-technical users: a single “Inputs” sheet where they enter only the basics (system size, quoted purchase price, expected annual production or throughput, tariff information, and a couple of simple assumptions). Behind the scenes the file should run the heavy lifting with clear formulas or VBA, but the visible experience remains tidy and intuitive.
Key financial drivers we must cover are up-front investment cost and the ongoing value of energy saved or shifted. Maintenance can sit outside the scope for now; if you prefer to leave a placeholder column that’s fine, but it should not confuse the end user.
Because general clients will be reading the results, the “Results” or “Client Report” sheet has to look polished—company logo slot, consistent typography, and a one-page layout. The core findings should be visual: payback period, net present value, and internal rate of return rendered in charts and graphs (bar, line, or waterfall—use what communicates best). Any supporting numbers can sit just below for those who want to dig deeper.
Deliverables
• Locked-cell Excel workbook (.xlsx) with separate Input, Calculation (hidden or protected), and Client Report sheets
• Dynamic charts that auto-update when inputs change
• Ability to toggle between PV + Battery and Battery-Only modes without duplicating the file
• Clear instructions embedded on the Input sheet so a first-time user can finish in minutes
The tool must also allow the modelling and comparison of different battery operating modes, such as:
• High self-consumption optimization
• Peak shaving (demand charge reduction)
• Combination of self-consumption and peak shaving
• Optional: time-of-use optimization / energy price arbitrage
It should be possible to simulate these operating strategies separately and in comparison, so that the economic impact of each operating mode is clearly visible and quantifiable.
I will test with a few sample scenarios; if payback, NPV, and IRR plot correctly and the report prints cleanly to A4/PDF, the job is complete. Feel free to harness named ranges, data validation, conditional formatting, or light VBA—whatever keeps the interface simple and the results rock-solid.
Key financial drivers we must cover are up-front investment cost and the ongoing value of energy saved or shifted. Maintenance can sit outside the scope for now; if you prefer to leave a placeholder column that’s fine, but it should not confuse the end user.
Because general clients will be reading the results, the “Results” or “Client Report” sheet has to look polished—company logo slot, consistent typography, and a one-page layout. The core findings should be visual: payback period, net present value, and internal rate of return rendered in charts and graphs (bar, line, or waterfall—use what communicates best). Any supporting numbers can sit just below for those who want to dig deeper.
Deliverables
• Locked-cell Excel workbook (.xlsx) with separate Input, Calculation (hidden or protected), and Client Report sheets
• Dynamic charts that auto-update when inputs change
• Ability to toggle between PV + Battery and Battery-Only modes without duplicating the file
• Clear instructions embedded on the Input sheet so a first-time user can finish in minutes
The tool must also allow the modelling and comparison of different battery operating modes, such as:
• High self-consumption optimization
• Peak shaving (demand charge reduction)
• Combination of self-consumption and peak shaving
• Optional: time-of-use optimization / energy price arbitrage
It should be possible to simulate these operating strategies separately and in comparison, so that the economic impact of each operating mode is clearly visible and quantifiable.
I will test with a few sample scenarios; if payback, NPV, and IRR plot correctly and the report prints cleanly to A4/PDF, the job is complete. Feel free to harness named ranges, data validation, conditional formatting, or light VBA—whatever keeps the interface simple and the results rock-solid.