The ANSWER user-interface is a user friendly Windows-based interface for working with the MARKAL family of models. It provides the energy analyst with tools for data entry/edit, initiation of a MARKAL run, and results handling.

ANSWER supports working with the majority of MARKAL model variants and options, including:

Elastic Demand MARKAL (including with Income Elasticity)

MARKAL-MACRO

MARKAL-MICRO

Stochastic MARKAL

MARKAL with Endogenous Technology Learning (ETL)

MARKAL with Environmental Damages

MARKAL with Lumpy Investments

MARKAL with Goal Programming

Multi-Region MARKAL with Bilateral and Global Trade

The ANSWER software is developed and supported by Noble-Soft Systems Pty Ltd (contact: Ken Noble). ANSWER was originally developed and marketed over the period 1996 to 2003 by ETSAP Partner ABARE, Australia, with then ABARE staff member Ken Noble having primary responsibility. In late 2003 Ken Noble retired from ABARE, established Noble-Soft Systems Pty Ltd and purchased the ANSWER software from ABARE, thereby ensuring continuing development and support for the software.