A solar thermal collector that has an absorber that does not have a glazed covering. Solar swimming pool heater systems usually use unglazed collectors because they circulate relatively large volumes of water through the collector and capture nearly 80 pe ...

A type of insulation, composed of small diameter pink, yellow, or white glass fibers, formed into blankets or batts, or used in loose-fill and blown-in applications.

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.

The rate of heat production by a steady current in any part of an electrical circuit that is proportional to the resistance and to the square of the current, or, the internal energy of an ideal gas depends only on its temperature.

The first law states that energy can not be created or destroyed; the second law states that when a free exchange of heat occurs between two materials, the heat always moves from the warmer to the cooler material.

Turbines in which the rotor speed increases and decreases with changing wind speed, producing electricity with a variable frequency.

The approximate energy producing capacity of a power plant, under specified conditions, usually during periods of highest load.

A heat storage system that uses a heat storage medium, and where the additional or removal of heat results in a change in temperature.

Draft that is caused by temperature differences in the air.

The process in which a solid fuel is converted into a gas; also known as pyrolitic distillation or pyrolysis. Production of a clean fuel gas makes a wide variety of power options available.

A unit of electrical measurement equal to the product of a volt and an ampere.

A type of wind turbine in which the axis of rotation is perpendicular to the wind stream and the ground.

In a wind energy conversion system, to pitch the turbine blades so as to reduce their lift capacity as a method of shutting down the turbine during high wind speeds.

An air conditioner consisting of one or more assemblies that move, clean, cool, and dehumidify air.

A turbine that uses water pressure to rotate its blades; the primary types are the Pelton wheel, for high heads (pressure); the Francis turbine, for low to medium heads; and the Kaplan for a wide range of heads. Primarily used to power an electric generat ...

Waste material from households and businesses in a community that is not regulated as hazardous.

The visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths from 0.4 to 0.76 microns

Under the First Law of Thermodynamics, efficiency is the ratio of work or energy output to work or energy input, and cannot exceed 100 percent. Efficiency under the Second Law of Thermodynamics is determined by the ratio of the theoretical minimum energy ...

An incorporated right, liberty, privilege, or use of another entity's property, distinct from ownership, without profit or compensation; a right-of-way.

A unit of power equal to 1 billion Watts; 1 million kilowatts, or 1,000 Megawatts.