Go Solar Power For Homes

M

Maximum Power Point (MPP) = The point on the I-V curve (see Go Solar Power For Homes Glossary of Terms – I to L above) of a module, where the current and voltage produced is at its maximum. For a typical silicon cell, this is normally about 17 volts for a 36 cell configuration (roughly 0.45 volts).

Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) = A power conditioning unit that automatically maintains the photovoltaic generator at its maximum power point (MPP) under all circumstances. Typically, an MPPT can increase the total power delivered to a solar power system by 10% to 40%, depending on climate conditions and the state of charge of the battery.

Megawatt (MW) = One million watts or 1,000 kilowatts

Microgroove = A small groove filled with metal for contacts that is scribed into the surface of a cell.

Module = A solar panel, or a group of solar cells – a module  that has a number of interconnected PV cells of standard size and output power that are sealed with an encapsulant. The smallest building block of the power generating part of a PV array. 

Monocrystalline panel = a solar panel that’s made from a large, single silicon crystal and has a patchwork pattern. Monocrystalline panels are more expensive and more efficient than multi- or poly- crystalline panels.

Monocrystalline solar cells = A durable type of photovoltaic solar panel made from a thin slice of a single large silicon crystal that is black in color and has a rigid construction but does not fill the whole panel area. To pick up light effectively they must be aimed at the sun correctly. In excessive heat, monocrystalline solar cells generally do not perform as well as polycrystalline cells.

Monolithic = Made up and fabricated as one single structure.

Multicrystalline = Sometimes referred to as polycrystalline or semicrystalline, this is a material made from many small crystallite crystals and composed of variously oriented, small individual crystals. This material is solidified at such a rate that many small crystals (crystallites) form. The atoms within crystallites are jumbled together while a single crystallite is symmetrically arranged. Because there are numerous grain boundaries inherent in the design, the product is cheaper but the efficiency of the multicrystalline device is not as great as monocrystalline devices.

Multicrystalline panel = (also polycrystalline) a solar panel that’s made from small silicon crystals oriented in lots of different directions. Multicrystalline panels are less expensive and less efficient than monocrystalline panels.

Multijunction device = Used to achieve greater overall efficiency, this is a photovoltaic device containing two or more cell junctions, each of which is optimized for a particular part of the solar spectrum.

N

National Electrical Code (NEC) = The U.S. minimum inspection requirements for all types of electrical installations, including solar systems.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) = The U.S. national laboratory that focuses on the study and development of renewable energy sources.

Net meter = an electricity meter that spins both forward and backwards. It can track how much electricity your solar system puts into the power grid and how much electricity your home pulls out of the grid.

Net metering = A practice used in conjunction with a solar electric system where your electric meter tracks your net power usage, spinning forward when you use electricity from the utility, and spinning backward when your system is generating more electricity than you need.

Nominal Operating Cell Temperature (NOCT) = The solar cell temperature at a reference environment defined as 800 W/m2 irradiance, 20°C ambient air temperature, and 1 m/s wind speed with the cell or module in an electrically open circuit state.

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

Pic via: stock.xchng

This Trackback by Sam Deane, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

 

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