A – E
- Battery capacity = how much energy the battery can store; for lead-acid batteries it’s typically stated in amp-hours (Ah), but for li-ion it’s stated in kilowatt-hours (kWh)
- Battery discharge = the usage of the battery’s stored electricity. It is when the battery’s stored value decreases
- Cycle life = a round trip of complete battery discharge followed by full recharge
- Continuous power rating = the amount of electricity that can be supplied continuously. It’s measured in kW
- Current = measure of electrons flowing through a wire at a particular time. Its unit is the ampere or amps (A).
- Depth of Discharge (DoD) = refers to the battery % being discharged compared to its overall capacity
- Electrical arc = happens when electrical current jumps a gap in a circuit or between two electrodes
- Electrical grid/power grid = an electrical infrastructure designed to transmit electricity from its generation facilities (power plants) to homes and businesses
F – J
- Grid-tied = your energy is sourced from the local utility company as well as your PV system
K – O
- Maximum Power Point (MPP) = the highest point of the current-voltage of a solar energy system
- Net Metering = providing the ‘grid’ with surplus energy (what your Solar system provided, but which your household is not consuming)
- Off-grid = when you’re 100% self-reliant in your energy production; you are not connected to your local utility company
P – T
- Peak power rating = is the greatest amount of electricity that can be released for short bursts. It’s measured in kW
- Power = Current x Voltage. Power is the instantaneous rate at which that energy is transferred. Its unit is the watt (W).
- Power Electronics = branch of electrical engineering that deals with the control and conversion of electric power to support a variety of needs
- PV technology = Photovoltaics = generate power through energy-absorbing devices, transforming energy from sunlight into electrical energy
- They’re also often referred to as solar panels, or PV panels
- Solar inverter = converts direct current (DC) from solar panels to alternating current (AC) that can be used for a home’s energy consumption.
- Surge Power (in inverters) = Maximum power the inverter can supply, usually for a short period of time
- Time-of-use (TOU) rates = An electricity rate structure charging based on when the energy is used
U – Z
- Voltage = measure of electrical force between two points. Its unit is the volt (V).
- Watt-hours = are units of electrical energy equivalent to 1 watt of output per hour
- 1 watt-hour = 3,600 joules ∴ 1 kWh (kilowatt-hour) = 3,600,000 joules
- A 20W light bulb running for 6 hours uses 120Wh
