A device used to measure total incident solar radiation (direct beam, diffuse, and reflected radiation) per unit time per unit area.

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.

Classifications of fires developed by the National Fire Protection Association.

An electricity powered device that extracts available heat from one area (the heat source) and transfers it to another (the heat sink) to either heat or cool an interior space or to extract heat energy from a fluid.

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

A configuration of an electrical circuit in which the voltage is the same across the terminals. The positive reference direction for each resistor current is down through the resistor with the same voltage across each resistor.

A heating system that uses only outside air for combustion and vents combustion gases directly to the outdoors. These systems are less likely to backdraft and to negatively affect indoor air quality.

Energy output from a system that equals energy input.

The rate of flow of the wind undisturbed by obstacles.

The ratio of fuel energy input as heat per unit of net work output; a measure of a power plant thermal efficiency, generally expressed as Btu per net kilowatt-hour.

This designates the resistance of a material to heat conduction. The greater the R-value the larger the number.

In a given electrical circuit, the amount of current in amperes (i) is equal to the pressure in volts (V) divided by the resistance, in ohms (R).

The maximum instantaneous wind speed (or velocity) that occurs within a specific period of time or interval.

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

A gas or liquid used to move heat energy from one place to another; a refrigerant.

This is a national organization dedicated to representing the interests of cooperative electric utilities and the consumers they serve. Members come from the 46 states that have an electric distribution cooperative.

Energy produced by the conversion of biomass directly to heat or to a liquid or gas that can be converted to energy.

The addition of dopants to a semiconductor.

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

Materials with various qualities that are applied to glass windows before installation. These coatings reduce radiant heat transfer through the window and also reflects outside heat and a portion of the incoming solar energy, thus reducing heat gain. The ...