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Techno-Economic Feasibility Studies

Is the project viable commercially, technically and financially, all at once?

A techno-economic feasibility study joins the market case, the technology choice and the economics in one piece of work. Credence Research screens technology routes, benchmarks costs, models returns and sets out the risks, so a board can decide whether to proceed to engineering and financing.

Discuss your projectSee the deliverables

When a techno-economic study is the right scope

It suits projects where the market, technology and cost questions depend on each other.

New process or product

Test whether an emerging technology can compete on cost.

Choosing a technology route

Compare routes on cost, maturity and supply of equipment.

Before engineering spend

Decide whether the project deserves detailed engineering.

Investment committee

Give one integrated view of market, cost and returns.

Three tests that must pass together

A project can win on technology and still fail on market or cost. The study looks for the overlap.

Scroll sideways to see the whole figure.

ViableprojectMarketTechnologyEconomicsDemand at viable pricesCompetitors and capacityProven at commercial scaleEquipment availableCAPEX, OPEX, unit costReturns under scenarios
Illustrative. Shapes only, not client or market data.

Questions a techno-economic study answers

Market

  • Is there demand for the output at viable prices?
  • Who are the competitors and what will they do?

Technology

  • Which routes are commercially proven, and which are not?
  • Who supplies the key equipment?

Economics

  • What are CAPEX, OPEX and unit cost?
  • What returns does the project give, and what breaks them?

Risk

  • Which risks are commercial, which technical?
  • What must be confirmed by engineering next?

What public data can show, and what needs research

The study draws on the same evidence as the individual services and joins it into one model.

Where desk research is usually enough and where primary research is needed
TopicPublic data showsStill uncertainHow it is tested
Technology maturityPlants operating each routePerformance at commercial scaleOperator and expert interviews
EquipmentSuppliers by typeLead times and indicative costsSupplier interviews
EconomicsCost benchmarksCosts for this route and sizeIntegrated cost and financial model

Where a technical question needs process engineering to answer, the study flags it with the specific question to resolve.

Illustrative example

This example is illustrative. It shows how a study could be designed and does not describe a client project.

A 2 GWh lithium-ion cell plant in India

Illustrative example
Business question
A company is considering a 2 GWh lithium-ion cell plant in India and needs an integrated view before engineering.
Evidence gap
Demand, competitor capacity, cell chemistry choice, material sourcing and power cost are linked, and no single source covers them.
Research method
Capacity mapping of existing and planned plants, chemistry route screening, CAPEX and OPEX benchmarking, offtake interviews and a scenario model.
Output
A decision memo on when the commercial case works, the riskiest assumptions and the questions for engineering validation.

What this study does not include

Clear limits keep the findings honest and the scope easy to price.

  • Process engineering design or sign-off
  • Equipment specifications and vendor quotations
  • Certified environmental or safety assessments

Where a decision needs engineering or legal sign-off, the study says so and lists the questions for that review.

What you receive

Outputs are agreed at scoping; this is a typical set.

  • Market and capacity assessment

    Demand, competitors and the supply-demand balance.

    Use it to confirm the market case.

  • Technology route screening

    Routes compared on maturity, cost and supply.

    Use it to shortlist the route.

  • Cost and financial model

    CAPEX, OPEX, unit cost and returns in one Excel model.

    Use it to test the economics.

  • Risk register

    Commercial and technical risks with mitigations.

    Use it to plan next steps.

  • Decision memo

    Whether to proceed, and what engineering must confirm.

    Use it to brief the board.

How a feasibility study works

  1. 1

    ScopingThe decision, product, capacity, locations and level of study are agreed, along with what is in and out of scope.

  2. 2

    Primary and secondary researchAnalysts combine company filings, trade and tariff data, capacity announcements and price series with interviews of producers, buyers, suppliers and industry experts.

  3. 3

    ValidationKey figures are cross-checked against at least two independent sources, and every assumption is logged with its source and date.

  4. 4

    ModelingDemand, cost and financial models are built in Excel with base, upside and downside cases, so each assumption can be changed and traced.

  5. 5

    Analyst review and decision memoA senior analyst reviews the findings, and the study closes with a memo on whether the case holds, the riskiest assumptions and the next steps.

Frequently asked questions

Request a feasibility study proposal

Describe the product, location and capacity you are considering, and the decision the study must support. A short brief is enough to start.

What happens next

An analyst reviews the brief and replies within one business day with scoping questions. A proposal follows with the study scope, deliverables and timeline.

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