Go Solar Power For Homes Glossary of Terms – E to H

Posted on 2009 under Glossary of Terms | No Comment

3 Feb

Efficiency = The ratio of output energy to input energy.

Electric circuit = The path followed by electrons/electricity that starts at the generating source of the power (from either a generator or a battery) and continues through the devices that use the electricity before returning back to the source through another line.

Electric Current = The flow of electrons/electrical energy/electricity in a conductor, measured in amps/amperes.

Electrical grid = A large integrated system or distribution network of electricity covering a wide area.

Electricity = The controlled flow of electrons through a conductor.

Electrode = A conductor that leads an electrical current into or out of a non-metallic part of a circuit.

Electrolyte = A liquid conductor of electricity, usually sulphuric acid in the case of batteries.

Energy = Usable stored energy or power that can become working energy. Measured in kWh.

Energy audit = A process to establish how much energy your house or apartment consumes.

Energy density = The ratio of energy available from a battery to its volume (Wh/1) or mass (Wh/kg). Also known as the “watts to weight” ratio.

Energy payback time = The time needed for any energy producing system or device to produce as much energy as was needed to make it.

EVA (Etheylene Vinyl Acetate) = Used between the glass cover and the solar cells in PV modules, EVAs need to be resilient, durable, transparent, resistant to corrosion and flame retardant.

Float charge = the voltage needed to counteract the self-discharge of the battery at a certain temperature.

Float life = The number of years that a battery can maintain its stated capacity when it is kept at the float charge (see above).

Flat-plate PV = A PV array or module that uses direct and diffuse sunlight. Not the most efficient because the array is generally fixed in position so a large amount of the direct sunlight is lost because of it hits the panel at an oblique angle to the array.

Fossil fuels = Fuels formed underground from the ancient remains of dead plants and animals. Over time they become oil, natural gas, and coal.

Fuel cell = An essential device that is highly praise because it is clean and quiet. The fuel cell converts the energy of a fuel directly to electricity. This conversion does not involve combustion. Therefore fuel cells give off few emissions. Because fuel cells have no moving parts, they are quiet.

Gel-type battery = A type of lead-acid battery in which the electrolyte is made of a silica gel matrix.

Gigawatt = one billion watts

Greenhouse effect = When the sun’s heat gets trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Greenhouse gases = The gases responsible for trapping sun’s heat within the Earth’s atmosphere – i.e. ozone, carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons, water vapor and/or nitrogen oxides.

Grid = a distribution network or system of high tension cables that distributes electricity to homes, businesses, and other buildings across a specified region. This may include the towers, poles, and wires that the energy company might use to deliver the electricity.

Grid tied/grid connected = A solar power for homes system in which the PV array acts like a central solar power generating plant. Both supplying and receiving power, it is connected to the national power grid and calls upon the grid from time to time as a backup source of power (at night time for example). It generates electricity for your home or business and re-routes any extra power back to the national power grid. Also known as on-grid or grid-connected.

Ground mount = a solar power for homes electrical system that stands on the ground rather than being mounted on a roof.

Ground loop = An unwanted feedback that happens when two or more circuits share the same electrical line, normally a grounded conductor.

Hertz (HZ) = The frequency of electrical current described in cycles per second. In the U.S. all appliances use 60 HZ.

Hot spot = An area where the solar cells within your solar power for homes system acts as a resistive load, causing overheating or melting of the cells.

Hybrid System = A solar power for homes system that also uses other methods to generate its electricity such as fossil fuel generators or wind power.

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Info via: solar4power.com, homesolarpowersystems.org, sunwize.com and sunrunhome.com

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