A comprehensive legislative package that mandates and encourages energy efficiency standards, alternative fuel use, and the development of renewable energy technologies. Public Law 102-486, October 24th, 1992. Also authorized the Federal Energy Regulatory ...

An air conditioning system that comes in two to five pieces: one piece contains the compressor, condenser, and a fan; the others have an evaporator and a fan. The condenser, installed outside the house, connects to several evaporators, one in each room to ...

A masonry or metal stack that creates a draft to bring air to a fire and to carry the gaseous byproducts of combustion safely away.

A device built into or installed above a combustion appliance to assure the escape of combustion byproducts, to prevent backdrafting of the appliance, or to neutralize the effects of the stack action of the chimney or vent on the operation of the applianc ...

The torque at the bottom of a speed (rpm) versus torque curve. The torque developed by the motor is a percentage of the full-load or rated torque. At this torque the speed, the rotational speed of the motor as a percentage of synchronous speed is zero. Th ...

The difference in electrical pressure (voltage) between any two points in an electrical system or between any point in an electrical system and the earth.

The duct(s) of a forced air heating/cooling system through which heated or cooled air is supplied to rooms by the action of the fan of the central heating or cooling unit.

The inner coil in a heat pump that, during the cooling mode, absorbs heat from the inside air and boils the liquid refrigerant to a vapor, which cools the house.

A container that holds rock used as the thermal mass to store solar energy in a solar heating system.

A form of solar concentrating collector that does not track the sun.

In reference to a wind turbine, a condition when the rotor stops turning.

The liquid resulting when water vapor contacts a cool surface; also the liquid resulting when a vaporized working fluid (such as a refrigerant) is cooled or depressurized.

A lamp that consists of a sealed arc tube inside a glass envelope, or outer jacket. The inner arc tube is filled with elements that emit light when ionized by electric current. A ballast is required to provide the proper starting voltage and to regulate c ...

A term used to describe heat energy lost from a water heater tank.

A heat exchanger that transfers the heat contained in a liquid heat transfer fluid to air.

The use of two or more different fuels (e.g. wood and coal) simultaneously in the same combustion chamber of a power plant.

The process of degrading organic material (biomass) by microorganisms in aerobic conditions.

A type of power inverter that produce a high quality (nearly sinusoidal) voltage, at minimum current harmonics.

A device used to protect the user of any electrical system or appliance from shock.

An investment in a power plant or demand side management measures or programs, that become uneconomical due to increased competition in the electric power market. For example, an electric power plant may produce power that is more costly than what the mar ...