Develop an Excel-based Industrial and Commercial Energy Cost Comparison Tool

I am seeking an experienced Excel modeller, energy cost analyst or commercial tool developer to build an Industrial and Commercial customer Energy Cost Comparison Tool. The purpose of the tool is to support customer discussions and commercial decision-making by comparing the cost of different energy options on a consistent, usable-energy basis. The fuels to be compared are: • Natural gas • LPG • Electricity • Diesel The tool will be used for high-level screening and commercial discussion, not as a detailed engineering design or formal customer quotation. It should allow a user to enter a customer’s natural gas demand for a project, with the tool then calculating the equivalent amount of each fuel required to deliver the same useful energy output as gas. The tool must then calculate and compare the total annual cost and cost per unit of useful energy for each fuel option. Key Requirements The tool should be developed in Microsoft Excel and should include the following functionality: a) Customer and project input section The user should be able to enter key customer and project information, including customer/site name, location, application or process, annual useful energy demand, peak demand where relevant, operating hours, discount rate, analysis period and other relevant assumptions. b) Fuel assumption inputs The developer will need to research current costs of each fuel type in Brisbane Australia. The tool must allow the user to enter or update assumptions for each fuel type, including price, pricing unit, energy content, useful efficiency or coefficient of performance, fixed annual charges, emissions factors if included, and source notes. c) Fuel conversion calculations The tool must calculate the amount of each fuel required to deliver the same useful energy demand. For example, if the user enters a gas useful energy demand, the tool should calculate the equivalent LPG, electricity and diesel quantities required after allowing for energy content and useful efficiency. d) Cost comparison calculations The tool should calculate, for each fuel option: o Annual fuel units required o Annual variable energy cost o Fixed annual energy charges o Customer-side connection or site infrastructure costs o Annualised connection or capital cost o Annual operating and maintenance allowance o Total annual equivalent cost o Cost per useful GJ o Cost per useful kWh e) Connection and site infrastructure assumptions The tool should include an input section for indicative customer-side infrastructure costs for each fuel option. This should include natural gas connection and metering assumptions, LPG tank and vapourisation assumptions, electricity transformer or switchboard assumptions, and diesel storage and fuel system assumptions. f) Sensitivity analysis The tool should include simple sensitivity cases to test the effect of changes in fuel prices, efficiencies and connection costs. The sensitivity output should show how the ranking of fuel options changes under different assumptions. g) Dashboard and summary output The tool should include a clear dashboard suitable for commercial discussions. It should show the lowest-cost option, cost per useful GJ, total annual equivalent cost, and key discussion flags. Charts should be simple, professional and easy to interpret. h) Assumptions and source register The tool must include a clear assumptions log and a source register. The developer will need to obtain or propose appropriate cost input sources for each fuel type. All assumptions should be transparent and editable. Important Scope Notes The tool is intended as a high-level screening and discussion tool. It is not intended to provide detailed engineering design, regulated network quotations, or final customer pricing. The developer should allow for assumptions to be replaced with customer-specific quotes before use in customer-facing material. The tool should make clear where fuel prices, efficiencies, emissions factors, infrastructure costs or other assumptions are placeholders. Required Skills The successful freelancer should have strong experience in: • Advanced Microsoft Excel modelling • Energy cost or utility cost comparison tools • Financial modelling and annualised cost calculations • Clear workbook design and dashboard presentation • Use of formulas, sensitivity analysis and transparent assumptions • Commercial or industrial energy applications • Good documentation of assumptions and sources Experience with Australian energy markets, commercial and industrial energy customers, gas, LPG, electricity tariffs, diesel fuel costs, or energy conversion factors would be highly regarded. Deliverables The required deliverables are: 1. A completed Excel workbook with formulas, inputs, outputs, sensitivity analysis and dashboard. 2. A clear assumptions register and source register. 3. Simple user instructions within the workbook. 4. Professional formatting suitable for use in customer and internal commercial discussions. 5. A short handover note explaining the model structure, key formulas, assumptions and how to update inputs. Proposal Requirements Please include the following in your proposal: • Examples of similar Excel tools, financial models or energy cost comparison models you have developed. • Your proposed approach to structuring the workbook. • How you would source and document fuel price, energy content, efficiency, emissions and infrastructure assumptions. • Any relevant energy-sector or commercial modelling experience. • Your proposed fixed price or hourly rate. • Any assumptions you have made about the scope of work. Preferred Approach I am looking for a practical, well-structured and transparent tool rather than an overly complex model. The workbook should be easy for a non-technical commercial user to update, while still being robust enough to support meaningful comparison between fuel options. The tool should use clear inputs, protected formulas where appropriate, transparent assumptions, and simple outputs that can be used in customer discussions.