In reference to solar photovoltaic devices, a material that is composed of a single crystal or a few large crystals.

The difference between the brightness of an object compared to that of its immediate background.

The requirement that an electric power utility generate or purchase a specified percentage of the power it supplies/sells from renewable energy resources, and thereby guarantee a market for electricity generated from renewable energy resources.

A general term applied to the energy that is converted to a form that can not be effectively used (lost) during the operation of an energy producing, conducting, or consuming system.

To schedule and control the generation and delivery of electric power.

The process of designing a solar system to meet a specified load given the solar resource and the nominal or rated energy output of the solar energy collection or conversion device.

The process of distilling (purifying) water using solar energy. Water can be placed in an air tight solar collector with a sloped glazing material, and as it heats and evaporates, distilled water condenses on the collector glazing, and runs down where it ...

The generation of electric power by a heat engine which converts part of the heat generated by combustion of the fuel into mechanical motion to operate an electric generator.

A term used for materials used to absorb and store solar energy.

The ratio of heat produced by a fuel for doing work to the available heat in the fuel.

A high efficiency silicon photovoltaic concentrator cell that employs light trapping techniques and point-diffused contacts on the rear surface for current collection.

In reference to a wind energy conversion device, the ratio of rotor blade surface area to the frontal, swept area that the rotor passes through.

A semiconductor (photovoltaic) material composed of variously oriented, small, individual crystals.

Low or medium Btu content gas, composed mainly of carbon monoxide, nitrogen(2), and hydrogen(2) made by the gasification of wood or coal.

The use of solar thermal energy or solar electricity to power a cooling appliance. There are five basic types of solar cooling technologies: absorption cooling, which can use solar thermal energy to vaporize the refrigerant; desiccant cooling, which can u ...

Wind turbines that operate at a constant rotor revolutions per minute (RPM) and are optimized for energy capture at a given rotor diameter at a particular speed in the wind power curve.

A type of heating system in which heated air is blown by a fan through air channels or ducts to rooms.

This committee has legislative jurisdiction and general and special oversight and investigative authority on all matters relating to energy and environmental research and development and demonstration.

A solar thermal technology that uses a modular mirror system that approximates a parabola and incorporates two-axis tracking to focus the sunlight onto receivers located at the focal point of each dish. The mirror system typically is made from a number of ...

A tube inside a domestic water heater that distributes the cold water from the cold water supply line into the lower area of the water heater where heating occurs.