AC (alternating current)
Refers to the standard utility-supplied power which alternates its direction of flow 60 times per second and has a normal household use of 120 or 240 volts. |
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Air Pollution
Air with contaminants in it that prevent the air from dispersing as it normally would and that interfere with biological processes. |
Alternative Energy
A term referring to “non-conventional” energy such as renewables. |
Ampere (amp)
A unit of electrical current or the rate of flow of electrons. |
Ampere Hour
A measure of current over time, used to measure battery capacity. |
Array
Any number of photovoltaic panels (modules) connected electrically to provide a single electrical output. |
Battery
An energy storage device made up of one or more electrolyte cells. |
Battery Life
The period of time during which a cell or battery is capable of operating above a specified capacity or efficiency performance level. |
Breeze
Wind classified as light, gentle, moderate, fresh or strong. |
Cell (solar)
The smallest, photovoltaic device that generates electricity when exposed to sunlight. |
Charge Controller
The device in a photovoltaic system that controls the flow of current to and from the battery to protect it from overcharging or over discharging. |
Conventional Fuel
The fossil fuels including oil, coal and natural gas. |
DC (direct current)
Electricity that flows in one direction only. PV modules, small wind turbines and small hydroelectric turbines produce DC power, and batteries of all kinds store it. |
Efficiency
The ratio of the power output of the photovoltaic cell (module) to the incident power from the sun or other light source under specified standard insolation conditions. |
Electricity
The energy of moving electrons, of which the current flow is used as a source of power. |
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Power From the Sun
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Gigawatt (GW)
A unit of power equal to 1 million kilowatts. |
Global Warming
A term used to describe the increase in the average global temperature due to the greenhouse effect. |
Greenhouse Effect
The heating effect resulting from long wave radiation from the sun being trapped by greenhouse gases that have been produced from human & natural sources. |
Grid – (power grid, utility grid)
A common term referring to an electricity distribution and transmission system. |
Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbines
Wind powered turbines on which the axis of the rotor’s rotation is parallel to the wind stream and the ground. |
Hybrid System
A power system consisting of two or more generating subsystems. A common example being the combination of a wind turbine or diesel generator and a photovoltaic system. |
Insolation
The amount of sunlight reaching an area. Usually expressed in milliwatts per square centimeter. |
Inverter
An electronic device that converts the low-voltage DC power to conventional 120 volt AC power as needed by lighting and appliances Inverters are available in a wide range of wattage capabilities. |
Kilowatt (KW)
A standard unit of electrical power equal to 1,000 watts. |
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Kilowatt-Hour (kWh)
A unit or measure of electricity supply or consumption of 1,000 watts per hour. |
Mean Power Output (wind turbine)
The average power output of a wind energy conversion system at any given mean wind speed. |
Mean Wind Speed
The average wind speed over a specified time period and the height above the ground. |
Megawatt (MW)
The standard measure of electric power plant generating capacity. One megawatt is equal to one thousand kilowatts or 1 million watts. |
Module
A self-contained physical structure housing interconnected photovoltaic cells and providing a single DC electrical output. (see “panel”) |
Panel
A collection of one or more modules fastened together in a single unit, often factory assembled and wired, forming a field installable unit. |
Passivate or passivation
Make (a metal or other substance) unreactive by altering the surface layer or coating the surface with a thin inert layer : components are made from passivated and anodized aluminum. Electronics coat (a semiconductor) with inert material to protect it from contamination. |
Peak Watts
The measurements of electricity produced by a solar generator at noon on a sunny day. |
Photovoltaic Cel
A device unit composed of specially prepared semiconductor material or combinations exhibiting the ability to convert solar energy directly in electrical energy. |
Photovoltaic System
An installed group of solar arrays generating power for a given application. Components of a system may include: a support foundation, power conditioning and control equipment, combined solar panels or modules, storage, thermal control, conduit/wiring and instrumentation. |
PV Module
A solar panel that makes electricity when exposed to direct sunlight. PV is short for photovoltaic. |
Renewable Energy
Energy derived from resources that are regenerative or that cannot be depleted. Renewable energy sources include solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and moving water. |
Rotor
The blades and other rotating components of a wind energy turbine. |
Semiconductor
A material such as silicon, which has a crystalline structure that will allow current to flow under certain conditions |
Solar Cell
The basic photovoltaic device which generates electricity when exposed to sunlight. |
Solar Energy
Electromagnetic energy transmitted by the sun (solar radiation). |
Solar Panel
A collection of solar modules connected in series, in parallel or combination of both to provide greater voltage, current, or power than can be furnished by a single solar module. Solar panels can be provided to furnish any desired voltage, current or power. Larger collections of solar panels are usually called solar arrays. |
Stand-Alone System (SA)
A system which operates independently of a utility grid. |
Storage Battery
A device capable of transforming energy from electric to chemical form and vice versa. |
Tilt Angle
A fixed angle measured from the horizontal to which a solar array is tilted. The tilt angle is chosen to maximize the array output. This angle will vary based on latitude, season and time of day. |
Tracking Array
An array that is mounted on a movable structure that attempts to follow the path of the sun. |
Turbine
A term used for a wind energy conversion device that produces electricity. |
Variable-Speed Wind Turbines
Turbines in which the rotor speed increases and decreases with changing wind speeds. |
Voltage
A measure of the force of electrons in an electrical circuit. One volt produces one amp of current when acting against a resistance of one ohm. |
Watt (W)
The rate of energy transfer (ex. from an outlet to an appliance). Wattage is calculated by multiplying voltage by current. |
Wind Energy
Power generated by converting the mechanical energy of the wind into electrical energy through the use of a wind generator. |
Wind Speed
The rate of flow of wind when it blows undisturbed by obstacles. |
Wind Velocity
The wind speed and direction in an undisturbed flow. |
