What you'll learn:
- Ability to use Excel effectively for financial modeling purposes
- Learn how to build a fully integrated 3-statement model from scratch
- Hands-on exercises and real-world case study based on a wind farm project
- Develop the proficiency and confidence to apply modeling skills
- Master essential return KPIs, including Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Net Present Value (NPV), Cash-on-Cash (CoC), and Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR)
- Learn how to analyze and interpret key KPIs under various scenarios, enabling you to make informed decisions and assess risk and return profiles
- Gain a deep understanding of financial concepts integral to project finance
- Gain a competitive edge and stand out from your peers
- Explore energy-related topics such as P50, P75, and P90 energy yields, full load hours, and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)
- Gain expertise in modeling renewable energy projects
This course is part of the Renewables Valuation Analyst (RVA) Certification by Renewables Valuation Institute (RVI) — a complete, start-to-finish roadmap for mastering renewable energy finance and project finance modeling.
The RVA Certification is the one-stop shop for building bank-ready financial models and valuation skills from A to Z. (On RVI directly, students can even earn back up to 100% of their tuition — see the instructor profile for details.)
Excel DNA for Project Finance Modeling — from blank sheet to bank-ready model
Learn the practical Excel skills and project-finance logic to build an integrated model for a renewable energy project. Working from a real-style Information Memorandum (IM), you’ll wire assumptions, structure revenues and costs, link the three financial statements, and evaluate returns — all using clean, auditable modeling practices and time-saving Excel techniques.
Your roadmap inside the course
Excel expertise for modelers: Master the functions and shortcuts used in real project models (e.g., SUMIF/SUMPRODUCT, OFFSET, INDEX/MATCH/LOOKUP, NORM.INV, flags, timeline tricks, and more).
Project finance essentials: Understand SPVs, non-recourse structures, due-diligence flow, and the uses & sources framework.
Case study setup: Read the IM like an analyst, extract assumptions, and plan the model build.
Renewables basics: MW vs. MWh, full-load hours, P50/P75/P90 yields, and how uncertainty drives scenarios.
Model inputs — structured right: EPC contract & development costs, construction plan, conditional formatting, and first-check routines.
Generation & revenue: Map energy production, then implement PPA variants — including a pay-as-produced partial hedge (e.g., 70% fixed, 30% merchant).
Operating costs and taxes: Build fixed/variable opex drivers, equity & tax inputs, and consistent expense timing.
Three-statement engine: Link I/S, BS, and CFS correctly; reconcile flows; and create integrity, signal, and master checks.
Capital structure: Add senior debt and equity schedules; implement DSCR and covenant views.
Returns & scenarios: Compute IRR/NPV/CoC, run scenario analysis, and present decision-ready outputs.
What you’ll be able to do
Build a clean, integrated 3-statement project finance model from scratch in Excel.
Translate an IM into structured inputs and a defensible model blueprint.
Implement renewables-specific logic (energy yields, PPAs, partial-hedge revenue, opex).
Produce bank-ready outputs: DSCR, IRR/NPV/CoC, sensitivities, and sanity checks.
Work faster with a professional shortcut & functions toolkit tailored to project finance.
Course highlights
Real-world case study: Build a basic wind project model from an industry-style IM.
Expert guidance: Step-by-step lessons led by a renewables finance practitioner.
Excel Shortcut Cheat Sheet: Downloadable, modeler-focused quick reference.
Quality control: Integrity, signal, and master checks so your numbers defend themselves.
Certificate of Completion: Showcase your Excel DNA for Project Finance Modeling.
Pathway to the RVA Certification (optional next step)
This course is one module within the broader RVA Certification—RVI’s complete roadmap covering foundations, advanced debt & equity structures, valuation, and case-study execution across technologies.
Credential: Earn the RVA Certification to signal mastery to employers and clients.
Curriculum depth: Go beyond a single model—gain the full toolkit used in practice.
Extra benefit: On RVI directly, students may be eligible to earn back up to 100% of their tuition (see the instructor profile for details).
Unlock your Excel DNA and build models the way they’re used in the market. Enroll today and elevate your skills for a successful career in finance and infrastructure investments.
