Alternative Energy
The first term in the solar panel vocabulary words is alternative energy. The term is used to stand for the energy that comes from sources that bring minimal or no harmful causes to the environment. The sources for this kind of energy are usually natural and renewable. They include solar energy, wind, geothermal, biomass, and hydro electrical energy sources.
Balance of System (BOS)
A solar system is made up of much more than solar panels. The term BOS (balance of system) stands for all the other components of a solar system besides the panels. These include the wiring, inverters, monitoring system, and all the hardware.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh)
Another crucial term in the solar dictionary is kWh (kilowatt-hour). This is the standard unit for measuring electrical power.
When billing customers are billed using kWh. The term is used to refer to the measure of power that is used to run a certain device for one hour.
Electrical/Electric/Utility Grid
An electrical, electric or utility grid, is a series of an interconnected network which helps deliver electricity t to the final consumer, from the producers. The network comprises of various components, such as:
- Power stations that produce the electricity
- Electrical substations responsible for stepping up the voltage for transmission, or stepping it down for distribution
- High-voltage transmission lines which transport power from its sources to the demand-centers
- Distribution lines for connecting individual customers
Energy Audit
An energy audit is a process in which the homeowner assesses the amount of power that their home or business requires or uses. The process can also incorporate various ways they can use to make their buildings more energy-efficient. In the long run, it will help save the user a considerable amount of money and energy. An energy audit is a great way to conserve energy.
Grid-Connected System
This is a solar system that connects to an electrical grid. People who reside in areas with minimum sunlight, or cannot independently support their full power needs through their solar system can join the grid.
A connection to the grid helps to balance the power and ensure that you don’t lack power at hour home. If you want to install a grid-connected solar system, you should first get in touch with your local utility company.
Ground-Mounted Solar
Ground-mounted solar is an array of solar panels which are installed on the ground or land. This method of solar panels mounting is done for utility-scale and large-scale solar projects.
These include large power plants that produce solar power for a large number of households and businesses. You will likely need to know the proper angle of your solar panel to get the maximum production from your project.
Interconnection Agreement
This is the contract entered into, between the local utility company and the homeowner. The contract is meant to allow the homeowner to access the power grid by linking it to their solar system.
With this contract, some regions allow the homeowner to receive a credit on their power bill because of any electricity power surplus their individual systems generate. They do this through net metering.
Inventer
When looking at the buzz words for solar energy, an inverter must always appear. An inverter in a solar power system is the part of the system that converts the direct current (DC) that the solar panels generate, into alternating current (AC). Read more about the definition of DC coupling.
An inverter is essential for transforming the DC into a home and business, user-friendly current. In addition, the inverters provide multiple levels of monitoring, long-term savings, and system efficiencies, among others. These are some of the best solar inverters to consider.
Renewable Energy
When we talk about renewable energy, it refers to the kind of energy that comes from sources that occur naturally, and that renew themselves continually. These renewable sources of energy include wind, sun, tidal, and geothermal heat.
Solar Power
Solar power is the electricity that comes from harnessing the energy from the sun. The power is generated directly using solar panels, which collects the energy from the sun and converts it into electricity.
The conversion of sunlight to electricity can also occur indirectly through concentrated solar power or a combination of the two methods.
Solar Efficiency
In solar energy, the term efficiency means the percentage of sunlight that the panels convert into electricity out of the amount of sunlight they receive. The efficiency of most solar panels in the current market ranges from 15% to 24%.
Smart Grid
Smart grids are a category of power grids which uses digital technology to monitor and control them. The technology regulates the flow of electrical energy between the power provider and the customers. The use of smart grids helps to enhance efficiency, as well as too better manage the power flow.