A motor in which a three phase (or any multiphase) alternating current (i.e. the working current) is supplied to iron-cored coils (or windings) within the stator. As a result, a rotating magnetic field is set up, which induces a magnetizing current in the ...

A type of water heater that has no storage tank thus eliminating storage tank standby losses. Cold water travels through a pipe into the unit, and either a gas burner or an electric element heats the water only when needed.

The regular periodic arrangement of atoms or molecules in a crystal of semiconductor material.

A building energy auditing technique for locating areas of low insulation in a building envelope by means of a thermographic scanner.

The quantity of heat produced to change a unit weight of a liquid to vapor with no change in temperature.

A device that captures the heat from the exhaust air from a building and transfers it to the supply/fresh fresh air entering the building to preheat the air and increase overall heating efficiency.

A solar energy conversion device that has a bowl shaped dish covered with a highly reflective surface that tracks the sun and concentrates sunlight on a fixed absorber, thereby achieving high temperatures, for process heating or to operate a heat (Stirlin ...

The unit price of a good or service estimated from some base year in order to provide a consistent means of comparison.

The heat that flows from the building interior, through the building envelope to the outside environment.

A hydrocarbon gas obtained from underground sources, often in association with petroleum and coal deposits. It generally contains a high percentage of methane, varying amounts of ethane, and inert gases; used as a heating fuel.

The amount of solar radiation striking a surface per unit of time and area.

The ratio of the minimum amount of work or energy required to perform a task to the amount actually used.

A house built using passive solar design techniques.

A type of water heater that circulates water through a heat exchanger in a boiler. The heated water then flows into an insulated storage tank.

A salt, sodium sulfate decahydrate, that melts at 90 degrees Fahrenheit; a component of eutetic salts that can be used for storing heat.

A measure of the efficiency of converting a fuel to energy and useful work; useful work and energy output divided by higher heating value of input fuel times 100 (for percent).

A graph representing the relationship between the power available from the wind and the wind speed. The power from the wind increases proportionally with the cube of the wind speed.

The thermodynamic cycle that is an ideal standard for comparing performance of heat-engines, steam power plants, steam turbines, and heat pump systems that use a condensable vapor as the working fluid; efficiency is measured as work done divided by sensib ...

An instrument for measuring solar radiation.

A WECS designed to produce electricity.