Freedom251 › Energy Management Software
RETScreen
What RETScreen is
RETScreen is Windows software for monitoring energy across a portfolio, forecasting energy use, tracking carbon, and importing utility data. Portfolio monitoring makes it relevant to organizations following energy information across multiple assets or sites within a portfolio. Its forecasting and carbon-tracking capabilities add ways to work with energy data beyond monitoring, while utility data import is listed for both sources. RETScreen uses a freemium model and has a free plan. Viewer mode is free; Professional mode supports up to 10 computers per subscribing organization. No price is listed for either mode. The main practical distinction is access: Viewer mode has no listed charge, while Professional mode has a stated computer allowance for each subscribing organization. It is available on Windows.
Who it suits
RETScreen suits organizations that need portfolio-level energy monitoring alongside forecasting, carbon tracking, or utility data import. Organizations considering Professional mode should check whether its 10-computer allowance fits their needs.
What it does well
- Monitors energy across a portfolio.
- Includes energy forecasting and carbon tracking.
- Imports utility data from both sources.
- Free plan and free Viewer mode are available.
What to know first
- Listed platform is Windows only.
- Professional mode supports up to 10 computers per subscribing organization.
- No price is listed for either mode.
Limits
Viewer mode is free. Professional mode supports up to 10 computers per subscribing organization.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Viewer mode | free access · analysis and learning · saving/printing/exporting restricted | Free |
| Professional mode | 12-month renewable subscription · full functionality · save, print and export · advanced features | C$869 a year |
As natural-resources.canada.ca lists them, read 15 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit the RETScreen website.
- Use Windows to access the software.
- Choose free Viewer mode or Professional mode.
- For Professional mode, account for its limit of 10 computers per subscribing organization.
Verdict
RETScreen combines portfolio monitoring with forecasting, carbon tracking, and utility data import. The choice between its free Viewer mode and Professional mode depends partly on the organization’s computer needs.
Questions
Does RETScreen have a free plan?
Yes. It has a free plan, and Viewer mode is free.
What platforms does RETScreen support?
RETScreen is available for Windows.
What does RETScreen do?
It supports portfolio energy monitoring, energy forecasting, carbon tracking, and utility data import.
How many computers can use Professional mode?
Professional mode supports up to 10 computers per subscribing organization.
What does RETScreen cost?
Viewer mode is free. No price is listed for Professional mode.
Facts from RETScreen's own pages
- Benchmark analysis
- Benchmarking compares a facility with reference cases to identify energy-performance gaps. · solevant.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Climate data
- RETScreen combines global climate information from NASA satellite data and ground stations with project modelling. · prod-natural-resources.azure.cloud.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca, 15 Oct 2026
- Database coverage
- The platform includes climate, hydrology, cost, product and project databases. · solevant.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- Independent directory data describes RETScreen as an on-premise Windows desktop application. · solevant.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Documentation and training
- Listed support and training options include documentation, videos, live online sessions and in-person training. · solevant.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- The independent review reports no official in-app marketplace and limited support for live IoT or real-time integrations. · solevant.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Feasibility analysis
- Feasibility workflows assess energy, costs, emissions, sensitivity and financial risk for proposed projects. · solevant.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Global use
- A 2016 Government of Canada backgrounder reported more than 465,000 users worldwide and availability in 36 languages. · canada.ca, 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations and data partners
- A university thesis identifies partnerships or data sources involving IESO, NASA, UNEP and the Global Environment Facility. · scholar.tecnico.ulisboa.pt, 15 Oct 2026
- Languages
- The Government of Canada says RETScreen is used in 36 languages. · prod-natural-resources.azure.cloud.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca, 15 Oct 2026
- Launch history
- The first RETScreen software was released by the Government of Canada in 1998, according to its backgrounder. · canada.ca, 15 Oct 2026
- Licence
- Public descriptions present the full product as commercial software and do not identify an open-source licence. · solevant.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: advanced modelling
- G2 reviewers say the product can fall short for advanced calculations, forecasting and highly personalized project planning. · g2.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: complexity
- Reviewers report many tabs and dense information that can overwhelm new users, with an interface some consider dated. · g2.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: database quality
- An academic evaluation advises checking database weather data against local sources and says reference and equipment databases need improvement. · scholar.tecnico.ulisboa.pt, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: optimization
- The same evaluation says RETScreen compares user-defined cases but does not automatically optimize system components or propose improvements. · scholar.tecnico.ulisboa.pt, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: pricing
- A G2 reviewer describes the professional licence price as expensive for part-time consultants. · g2.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: reliability
- One G2 reviewer reports lagging and shutdowns during use and while changing components. · g2.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Maker founded
- LinkedIn lists Natural Resources Canada as founded in 1994. · ca.linkedin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Maker headquarters
- LinkedIn lists Natural Resources Canada headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario. · ca.linkedin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Maker ownership
- Natural Resources Canada, a Government of Canada department, is identified as the seller and developer. · g2.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Maker size
- LinkedIn lists Natural Resources Canada at 1,001–5,000 employees. · ca.linkedin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Performance measurement
- Performance Analysis and measurement-and-verification tools compare actual facility results with predicted outcomes. · solevant.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Portfolio analysis
- Portfolio Analysis aggregates multiple facilities for organization-wide comparison and management. · solevant.com, 15 Oct 2026
Where RETScreen stands on Freedom251
- Energy Management Software#5 of 25