Any process that uses solar radiation to produce useful heat.

A term used for a wind energy conversion device that produces electricity; typically having one, two, or three blades.

An abbreviation for one thousand cubic feet of natural gas with a heat content of 1,000,000 Btus, or 10 therms.

The angular position of the sun at solar noon with respect to the plane of the equator.

A type of heat pump that uses sealed horizontal or vertical pipes, buried in the ground, as heat exchangers through which a fluid is circulated to transfer heat.

The relationship of a building to true south, as specified by the direction of its longest axis.

A facility or piece of equipment that produces electricity.

A two step process where in the first step natural gas is exposed to a high-temperature steam to produce hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. The second step is to convert the carbon monoxide with steam to produce additional hydrogen and carbon ...

A type of insulation material with fine, closed cells, containing a mixture of air and refrigerant gas. This insulation has a high R-value, good moisture resistance, and high structural strength compared to other rigid insulation materials.

A device used to simulate the angle of the sun for assessing shading potentials of building structures or landscape features.

An architectural design (also known as the double envelope house), sometimes called a "house-within-a-house," that employs a double envelope with a continuous airspace of at least 6 to 12 inches on the north wall, south wall, roof, and floor, achieved by ...

A holding pond for livestock manure that is designed to anaerobically stabilize manure, and may be designed to capture biogas, with the use of an impermeable, floating cover.

The amount of heat energy that may be converted into useful energy from a fuel.

A heat exchanger coil in which a fluid such as water is circulated and a fan blows air over the coil to distribute heat or cool air to the different rooms.

A device that converts heat or sunlight directly to electricity, invented by Standford Ovshinsky, that has a unique glass composition that changes from an electrically non-conducting state to a semiconducting state.

The amount of energy service or useful energy delivered per unit of energy input. Often used in reference to lighting systems, where the visible light output of a luminary is relative to power input; expressed in lumens per Watt; the higher the efficacy v ...

The interior heat gain due to heat conduction, convection, and radiation from the exterior into the interior, and from occupants and appliances.

The unit of magnetic field intensity equal to 1 dyne per unit pole.

The wind speed and direction in an undisturbed flow.

A type of (geothermal) heat pump that uses well (ground) or surface water as a heat source. Water has a more stable seasonal temperature than air thus making for a more efficient heat source.