Daylight Power Company, LLC - Terminology
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| AEPS: | Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard. Created by S.B. 1030 on November 30, 2004 requiring electric companies to buy SAECs (sRECs). See SAEC. |
| ARRA: | American Reinvestment and Recovery Act |
| Azimuth: | Azimuth is the orientation of something in the north, south, east, west system of degree measurements. (North being 0 degrees or 360 degrees, South being 180 degrees, East is 90 degrees and West is 270 degrees.) |
| Grid (grid-tied): | The "Grid" is the utility company's network of conductors, transformers and other equipment which inter-connects all of the houses and businesses in a given area with electricity. A "grid-tied" system, in this case, is a solar photovoltaic array system which is able to put electrical power back into the utility company's grid when it produces excess electricity. (Producing excess electricity would cause the utility meter to turn backwards. However, many places in Daylight Power Company's service area require a separate meter for outgoing power, so the utility meter does not actually run backwards.) |
| Inverter: | An inverter converts direct current (DC), from the solar modules, into alternating current (AC) which is used in buildings to power everything. The inverters used for solar PV systems actually have many other functions to interact with the utility power grid and changes in the input from the solar array. There are regular inverters, which are complex pieces of equipment which can convert power for an entire array, and there are "micro-inverters" which can be attached to each solar panel to convert it's electricity separately. |
| kW | The abbreviation for kilowatt. 1,000 watts |
| kWh | The abbreviation for kilowatt hour. This is 1,000 watts used continuously over one hour. This is the primary unit of power usage found on utility meters and utility bills. |
| Module: | "Solar Panel" and "Solar Module" are used interchangeably. Reference to a "module" at the installation end of the solar PV industry would refer to a solar panel. Specifically, a group of solar photovoltaic cells connected together with conductors, fastened and sandwiched within layers, one side transparent to form an enclosed unit. The words "module" and "panel" are similar in many ways. "Module" is often known to have electronic connotation as being an electrical unit, which does something, but a panel usually just means something flat or board like. |
| Monocrystalline: | A solar module known as "monocrystalline" is made with square or semi-circular cells which have wafers cut from one solid crystal of silicone. This solid crystal is formed through a process of repeatedly dipping a smaller crystal into molten silicone allowing a layer to crystalize and cool, and then dipping it again. Of course there is more to the process, but the important thing to know about monocrystalline cells, for our uses, is that monocrystalline cells are the most efficient, gaining the most electricity per area. These are also measured to be the most stable meaning they lose the least amount of light gathering, electricity making efficiency over their life expectancy. |
| MW | The abbreviation for megawatt. 1,000,000 watts = 1,000 kW |
Photovoltaic: |
Also abbreviated "PV". The term photovoltaic (photo-vol-tay-ick) is easiest explained by its parts; "photo" means "light" and "voltaic" is from the term "volt" which is the unit of measure for electrical potential difference (more electrons in one place than another.) So, put these terms together to mean something which creates a voltage from light. |
Pole Mount: |
A pole mounted solar array is one which is mounted on top of a pole. Installing these systems requires a steel pole set in concrete. The size of the pole and it's concrete foundation depends on how many solar panels the pole will have to hold. There are pole systems available from reputable manufacturers which can hold between two to twelve solar panels on a single pole. (Some may have over 12 panels.) The major structural concern with pole systems is wind load and possibly complications from snow. Poles cannot be too tall, because the large flat area of a solar PV array catches all of the wind. Like a lever, the longer the pole holding the panels in the wind, the greater the stress and strain on the steel pole. For this reason, very tall pole systems or other structures require the services of a professional engineer to ensure that the structure can withstand the forces of the wind and snow and also be certain it is "up to code" for the area it is installed. |
| Polycrystalline: | Polycrystalline modules, usually noted by the word "poly" in their name, have solar cells made with thin slices of silicone formed from multiple crystals. The manufacturing process for polycrystaline wafers is easier and therefore cheaper than monocrystalline wafers, but "poly" cells are slightly less efficient. |
| PV: | Photovoltaic: see Photovoltaic |
| Rack (mount): | The structure which holds the solar modules in an array is generally called the rack. For roof mounts, the rack consists of horizontal or vertical members fastened to the roof with the solar modules clamped on top of them. For ground mount or pole mount systems, the structure is nearly the same, except instead of being fastened to a roof the members are fastened to one or more horizontal beams. |
| SAEC: | Solar Alternative Energy Credits, these are credits, sometimes called "certificates" which allow the owner of a solar photovoltaic array to earn money for each thousand kW, or 1MW, they generate. One credit represents the solar aspect of the power which was used or put into the power grid. There is an entire market for these credits. SAECs are also commonly known as Solar Renewable Energy Credits or sRECs in other States. An sREC = SAEC = 1 MW solar photovoltaic power generated. The SAECs are measured by a power meter of their own, similar to the utility meter. Commercial electric generator and distribution companies are required to buy these credits by the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS).
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| sREC: | See SAEC |
| Tracking: | Tracking systems tilt or rotate the solar array to follow the path of the Sun. Single axis tracking systems are able to turn about one axis. Two axis tracking systems can turn about two axes and are able to track the Sun's azimuth path throughout the day and it's changing height in sky. Both tracking systems are controlled by various mechanical electric devices which rotate the array. Tracking systems are beneficial because they keep the array pointed toward the sun in order to optimize efficiency. Tracking systems, however, are more expensive to install and maintain than solid rack mounted systems. |
| Utility: | The term "utility" is used, when talking about things related to solar photovoltaics, to mean the utility company(s) which produce and distribute electricity to the subjective area. Common uses of this word are: Utility bill, utility grid, utility grid-tie-in, utility meter etc. |
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