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Definitions and/or Explanations of terms used in a renewable energy context:
Alternative Energy - This is sometimes used interchangeably with renewable energy. It is distinct from the traditional forms of energy such as nuclear, oil, coal, and large scale hydro. Types of energy that fit into this category include solar power (both thermal and photovoltaic), wind power, bio-mass, micro-hydro, geothermal, et cetera.
Battery - Device to hold/store electrical energy in a chemical configuration.
Battery charger - Device used to recharge batteries from an AC power source.
Bio-Mass - Plant matter such as crop stalks, wood chips, bark, et cetera that can be burned to generate energy.
Charge Controller - Also known as a voltage regulator. A device that regulates the voltage level. Its function in a renewable energy system is to prevent excessive overcharge to the battery bank. They charge batteries from a DC power source.
Clean Energy - Energy with no adverse waste products associated with it. Waste products can include gases (i.e. greenhouse gases and noxious fumes), acid rain, and nuclear waste.
Climate Change - This term refers to the effects produced by humans that result in environmental changes. These changes are usually associated with a gradual warming of the planet. They can also refer to changes in weather patterns.
DC to DC Converter - A device that converts the voltage level from a DC source input to a different DC voltage level on its output.
Distribution - Transportation of energy. For the most part, this refers to the distribution of electrical power via high tension cables.
Energy - For renewable energy systems this refers to useable heat, electrical, or mechanical power.
Geothermal Power - This is the power extracted from heat stored in the earth. Typical geothermal systems operate by using a heat pump to transfer heat from the ground to the house in the winter and to transfer heat from the house to the ground in the summer. This process is far more efficient than the straight use of electricity for heating and cooling.
Greenhouse Effects/Gases - The trapping of solar heat energy around the planet that contributes to climate change. The greenhouse gases are the gases that promote the greenhouse effect (water vapour, carbon dioxide, et cetera).
Grid-Tie - The term is used to describe those renewable energy systems that are linked into the power received from the electric company.
Heat Pump - A device that allows the transfer/extraction of heat from one location to another location.
Hydro Energy - Electrical energy derived from the movement of water.
Inverter - A device that converts direct current (DC) electricity to alternating current (AC) electricity. Inverters come in several forms that are geared to the application they are used to be in, such as off-grid, grid-tie, or mobile.
Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) - This is a technique to ensure that the full power being produced by a solar panel is available for use. In off-grid applications, this means that when the solar panels are producing power that exceeds that required by the battery bank the MPPT charge controller will convert the excess voltage into current instead of simply chopping off the excess voltage as is done by traditional charge controllers.
MicroFIT - FIT stands for Feed-In-Tariff. This is the a program offered by the Ontario Government and managed by the Ontario Power Authority through the local utility company to pay for electricity produced by small scale systems (under 10 KW) such as solar panels, wind turbines, et cetera. For electricity generated by solar panels, the amount paid by the government is $0.802 per KWh.
Micro-hydro - Small turbine systems designed to produce electricity from water flow.
Net Metering - A method to track electrical energy flows to and from the grid. Typical installations involve an electrical meter that increases as you use electricity and decreases as you produce electricity.
Nuclear Energy - Fission/Fusion energy derived from the splitting and combining of atoms.
Off Grid - This term is used for those who power their homes or businesses using their own electrical sources (i.e. not connected to the electrical grid). This is a stand alone system usually consisting of solar photovoltaic and/or wind turbine systems.
Ontario Power Authority (OPA) - A non-profit organization setup by the Ontario Government to ensure that electricity needs are met for the benefit of Ontario both now and in the future.
Passive Solar - Using the energy delivered by the sun and not subjecting it to any further processing.
Photovoltaic - The direct conversion of the sun’s energy into electricity.
Sine wave - This term is used to describe the form that AC power can be delivered from some inverters. The utility delivers AC power to the home in the form of a sine wave. High quality inverters can mimic this sine wave in order to ensure that appliances are able to use the electricity being delivered.
Radiation - The emission of energy.
Rectifier - A device that converts alternating current (AC) electricity to direct current (DC) electricity.
Renewable Energy - This is sometimes used interchangeably with alternative energy. It is distinct from the traditional forms of energy such as nuclear, oil, coal, and large scale hydro. Types of energy that fit into this category include solar power (both thermal and photovoltaic), wind power, bio-mass, micro-hydro, geothermal, et cetera.
Solar Energy - Energy derived from the sun.
Solar Thermal - The heat component of energy derived from the sun.
Thermal Mass - A quantity of matter used to retain/store heat.
Turbine - A device used for transforming fluid motion into electrical/mechanical energy.
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