Avoided Emissions and Generation Tool AVERT

Download AVERT

AVERT is divided into three components:

Main Module: An Excel-based platform for user-specified analysis of emissions impacts. The Regional Data Files are associated with this module. A web edition of the Main Module is also available.
Statistical Module: A MATLAB®-based statistical analysis program.
Future Year Scenario Template: A second Excel-based spreadsheet for creating user-specified future year scenarios. Used in tandem with the statistical file.

Which modules should I download?

Most users will only need to download AVERT’s Main Module and Regional Data Files. The Main Module estimates emissions impacts resulting from energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE) programs in reference to a historical base year without the Statistical Module and Future Year Scenario Template. However, users who want to model emissions impacts with reference to user-created future years will need to download all three AVERT modules.

AVERT’s Main Module

AVERT Main Module Version History

Version #	Release date	Key changes
1	February 18, 2014	Original public version of AVERT.
1.2	November 21, 2014	Updates: Modified default wind capacity factor data to more closely represent measured wind speeds. Bugfixes: Corrected transposition of NO_x and SO₂ columns in the Monthly Impact Data by County table in Step 4.
1.3	April 28, 2015	Updates: New pop-up box depicts percent generation in each state within an AVERT region. Instructions added for states that reside in multiple AVERT regions. Bugfixes: Corrected SMOKE output function bug.
1.4	April 25, 2016	Updates: Added compatibility with Excel for Mac 2011.
1.5	March 6, 2017	Updates: Added adjustment factor to account for avoided line losses associated with EE and distributed RE profiles. Added daily avoided NO_x by county output. Improved data display on map figure. Modified rounding of outputs to tens rather than hundreds place. Added caution message for larger-than-recommended energy profiles. Updated compatibility to Excel for Mac 2016. Bugfixes: Corrected unit labeling of NO_xand SO₂ data blocks in RDFs. Corrected peak-day-finding formula in post-processing sheets.
1.6	July 31, 2017	Updates: Added PM_2.5. Adjusted the Statistical Module and Regional Data Files to account for additional generation impacts associated with parasitic loads at the point of generation. Improved the way data are extrapolated for peak hours. Bugfixes: Corrected summation of annual NO_X values. Removed mismatches in AMPD-to-AVERT data import pipeline.
2.0	May 31, 2018	Updates: Added output files compatible with EPA’s CO-Benefits Risk Assessment (COBRA) Health Impact Screening Tool. Bugfixes: Corrected code in the Statistical Module to ensure that AVERT will work with the newest version of MATLAB.
2.1	October 19, 2018	Updates: Added new columns on “Manual Energy Profile Entry” page that tell the user when the entered generation change exceeds both the recommended and calculable ranges of AVERT in each hour. Added new pop-up box to “Step 3: Run Scenario” that explains how a user can remedy entered generation change that exceeds both the recommended and calculable ranges of AVERT.
2.2	March 4, 2019	Updates: Users can now output AVERT calculations to COBRA and SMOKE formats even if the modeled EE/RE changes in load exceed AVERT’s recommended limit of 15% of regional load in any hour.
2.3	May 30, 2019	Updates: Incorporated line loss factors from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), which provides unique values for each year.
3.0	September 15, 2020	Updates: Revised AVERT regions to reflect the modern electric grid. The 14 new AVERT regions are based on aggregations of one or more balancing authority(ies). Added offshore wind. Added the ability to scale RE capacity factors (Excel-based AVERT only). Added statewide analysis functionality (web AVERT only). Bugfixes: Removed “worst-case” substitute emissions data points from the underlying CAMD input files.

AVERT’s Main Module requires Excel 2007 or newer to run in Windows. The Main Module can also be used in Excel 2011 or newer for Mac. Download the following files to the same folder on a local computer or drive:

Download AVERT’s Main Module workbook

Regional Data Files for 2019, the most recent year available (find your region):

To use AVERT’s Main Module, open the AVERT Main Module.xlsx file. Ensure that macros are enabled:

Windows: Navigate to the “Trust Center” in the “Options” menu, then select Trust Center Settings > Macro Settings > Enable all macros.
Mac OS: Select “Enable macros” in the dialog box that appears when opening the file.

You can choose your region of analysis on the main screen and upload the relevant regional data file to the tool. Refer to the AVERT User Manual and Quick Start Guide for step-by-step instructions on using the Main Module.

Do you want other baseline years for the Main Module?

The regional data files above are for the most recent data year of data (2019). For most purposes, users will want the most recent data year. If another year is desired, packages of all 14 regional data files for additional years can be downloaded at the links below. Download the file and save it in a folder with or near the Main Module.

2017 (ZIP)(28 MB)
2018 (ZIP)(28 MB)

Previous versions of the Main Module and regional data files

AVERT 2.3 is a deprecated version of AVERT with 10 regions and fewer features. EPA is no longer supporting data updates, enhancements, or bugfixes to this version of AVERT. However, for users who want to use this previous version of AVERT to analyze earlier years of data, the Main Module is available for download below.

Download v2.3 of AVERT's Main Module workbook

Regional data files for the baseline years 2007 to 2018 are available for download below. These packages contain regional data files compatible with AVERT 2.3.

2007 (ZIP)(27 MB)
2008 (ZIP)(28 MB)
2009 (ZIP)(29 MB)
2010 (ZIP)(29 MB)
2011 (ZIP)(28 MB)
2012 (ZIP)(29 MB)
2013 (ZIP)(28 MB)
2014 (ZIP)(29 MB)
2015 (ZIP)(28 MB)
2016 (ZIP)(27 MB)
2017 (ZIP)(27 MB)
2018 (ZIP)(28 MB)

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AVERT’s Statistical Module

It is recommended that computers operating AVERT’s Statistical Module have at least 2 GB of memory available. Processing time for individual regions depends on the number of units in the analysis and the number of processors available. Refer to the AVERT User Manual for step-by-step instructions on using the Statistical Module.

Step 1: Determine Windows operating environment

Determine if your Windows system operates in a 32-bit or 64-bit environment. Generally, this information is displayed in the “properties” of “My Computer” in Windows XP; or “Computer” in Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8; or "My PC" in Windows 10. Click here Exit to determine your Windows environment. The latest version of the Statistical Module is only available for 64-bit computers.

Step 2: Download AVERT’s Statistical Module and MATLAB Compiler Runtime (MCR)

Click here to download the AVERT Statistical Module and MCR

Step 3: Install MATLAB Compiler Runtime (MCR)

To use AVERT’s Statistical Module, the correct version of the free MATLAB Compiler Runtime (MCR) software needs to be installed. Run the “MCR _R2012b_…installer.exe” file that was downloaded in Step 2. Installing this software may require administrator rights. If you do not have rights as an administrator or have any questions, contact your IT specialist for assistance.

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AVERT’s Future Year Scenario Template

The “AVERT Future Year Scenario Template ” spreadsheet is downloaded as part of the Statistical Module package. This Excel file is stored in one of the subfolders of the Statistical Module package called “AVERT Future Year Scenarios.” To access and use the Future Year Scenario Template, download the Statistical Module package, following the instructions above. Refer to the AVERT User Manual for instructions on using the Future Year Scenario Template.
For each user-defined scenario, the user is strongly recommended to save this file (in the same subfolder) using the following naming convention:

“AVERT Future Year Scenario Template <Scenario X>” where “Scenario X” is a user-defined name.

Please note that each historical baseline year has a unique future year scenario template. Users should use the future year scenario template associated with the historical baseline year of interest.

Do you want other baseline years for the Statistical Module?

The AVERT Statistical Module package contains, by default, the most recent data year of data and the associated Future Year Scenario Template. For most purposes, users will want the most recent data year. If another year is desired, additional AVERT-compatible databases from EPA Clean Air Markets Division’s (CAMD’s) Air Market Program Data (AMPD) are available, as are Future Year Scenario Templates. For each desired year, download the compressed file. Each compressed file contains a large database and a Future Year Scenario Template. Please move the database (named “AVERT_CAMDArray_<Year>”) and save it in the subfolder “CAMD Input Files,” which is one of the subfolders included in the AVERT Statistical Module package. Please move the Excel sheet called “AVERT Future Year Scenario Template <Year>” to the subfolder “AVERT Future Year Scenarios.”

2017 (ZIP)(67 MB)
2018 (ZIP)(70 MB)

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