NASEO Launches OpenBCA, an Open-source Benefit-cost Analysis Tool

NASEO is pleased to announce the release of OpenBCA, an open-source benefit-cost analysis tool. OpenBCA is a free desktop application that provides a transparent framework for evaluating the benefits and costs of grid edge resource investments. Designed to align with NASEO's National Standard Practice Manual (NSPM), OpenBCA allows jurisdictions to conduct cost-effectiveness analyses of distributed energy resource (DER) investments and strategies using their unique jurisdiction-specific tests (JSTs), along with any secondary tests. Please join NASEO's OpenBCA webinar on August 18, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. ET to learn about key elements of OpenBCA - register for the webinar here.

OpenBCA simplifies and streamlines the evaluations of a wide range of value streams from DER investments and provides a range of interactive options for presenting BCA results. Built to improve upon proprietary "black box" cost-effectiveness testing models, OpenBCA gives users visibility into calculations and underlying assumptions.

OpenBCA was developed by ICF and RECURVE, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), and E4TheFuture. OpenBCA is copyrighted and licensed by LBNL. The project is now supported by NASEO's National Energy Screening Project (NESP), which hosts the OpenBCA webpage, organizes informational webinars, and coordinates state technical assistance with LBNL.
OpenBCA is available on NASEO's NESP webpage at https://naseo.org/nesp/openbca-tool and includes a range of technical resources to support users.