A body of water that contains brackish (highly saline) water that forms layers of differing salinity (stratifies) that absorb and trap solar energy. Solar ponds can be used to provide heat for industrial or agricultural processes, building heating and coo ...

see Solar Spectrum above.

A method of financial and economic analysis used to determine present and future values of investments or expenses.

A type of inverter that produces square wave output.; consists of a DC source, four switches, and the load. The switches are power semiconductors that can carry a large current and withstand a high voltage rating. The switches are turned on and off at a c ...

Usually refers to ethanol to 160 to 200 proof.

The ratio of the sum of the noncoincidental maximum demands of two or more loads to their coincidental maximum demands for the same period.

In reference to a wind energy conversion system, the wind speed profile in which wind speeds increase with the logarithmic of the height of the wind turbine above the ground.

A type of combustion heating system in which combustion air is drawn directly from outside and the products of combustion are vented directly outside. These features are beneficial in tight, energy-efficient homes because they will not depressurize a home ...

A source of power (electricity) that can displace power from another source so that source's power can be transmitted to more distant loads.

An automatic valve that is opened or closed by an electromagnet.

A steady-state fermentation process.

The weight of water vapor, per unit weight of dry air.

An amount paid by a customer for being connected to an electricity supplier's transmission and distribution system.

The deferment of certain loads to limit electrical power demand, or the production of energy during off-peak periods for storage and use during peak demand periods.

A process used to apply photovoltaic semi-conductor material to a substrate by a physical vapor deposition process where high-energy ions are used to bombard elemental sources of semiconductor material, which eject vapors of atoms that are then deposited ...

The height above the ground that a horizontal axis wind turbine's hub is located.

A unit that equals 20 long hundredweight or 2,240 pounds. Used mainly in England.

The amount of energy produced as a percentage of the amount of energy consumed.

A layer of semiconductor material (as used in a solar photovoltaic device) whose properties are essentially those of the pure, undoped, material.

Steam available directly from a boiler under full pressure.