A complete PV power system composed of the module (or arrary), and balance-of-system (BOS) components including the array supports, electrical conductors/wiring, fuses, safety disconnects, and grounds, charge controllers, inverters, battery storage, etc.

The demand on an energy producing system; the energy consumption or requirement of a piece or group of equipment.

The water content of a substance (a solid fuel) as measured under specified conditions being the: Dry Basis, which equals the weight of the wet sample minus the weight of a (bone) dry sample divided by the weight of the dry sample times 100 (to get percen ...

A smokestack or flue for exhausting the products of combustion from a combustion appliance.

A heat source, such as a space heater, used to provide more heat than that provided by a primary heating source.

An amount to be paid for energy periodically by a customer without regard to demand or energy consumption.

A type of furnace in which fuel is spread, automatically or mechanically, across the furnace grate.

An electric generator consists of an armature and a field structure. The armature carries the wire loop, coil, or other windings in which the voltage is induced, whereas the field structure produces the magnetic field. In small generators, the armature is ...

A type of heating appliance that performs more than one function, for example space and water heating.

An electrical device that resists electric current flow.

Transmit high-voltage electricity from the transformer to the electric distribution system.

A system in which a working fluid is used over and over without introduction of new fluid, as in a hydronic heating system or mechanical refrigeration system.

A closed-loop solar heating system in which the heat transfer fluid in the collector loop drains into a tank or reservoir whenever the booster pump stops to protect the collector loop from freezing.

The device that reduces the pressure of liquid refrigerant thereby cooling it before it enters the evaporator coil in a heat pump.

In reference to solar photovoltaic cell manufacure, a method of growing a large-size, high-quality crystal whereby coils heat a polycrystalline ingot placed atop a single-crystal seed. As the coils are slowly raised the molten interface beneath the coils ...

A water heater that releases hot water from the top of the tank when a hot water tap is opened. To replace that hot water, cold water enters the bottom of the tank to ensure a full tank.

The amount of energy absorbed (or converted) by a solar collector (or photovoltaic cell or module) over a 15 minute period.

The flow rate in these systems is 1/8 to 1/5 the rate of most solar water heating systems. The low-flow systems take advantage of stratification in the storage tank and theoretically allows for the use of smaller diameter piping to and from the collector ...

A high-intensity discharge lamp type that uses mercury and several halide additives as light-producing elements. These lights have the best Color Rendition Index (CRI) of the High-Intensity Discharge lamps. They can be used for commercial interior lightin ...

The process of changing the structure of the electric power industry from one of guaranteed monopoly over service territories, as established by the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, to one of open competition between power suppliers for custome ...