Definitions Flashcards
1
Q
________ is a solar energy technology that uses the unique properties of certain semiconductors to directly convert solar radiation into electricity.
A
Photovoltaics
2
Q
A _______ is an electrical system consisting of a PV module array and other electrical components needed to convert solar energy into electricity usable by loads.
A
photovoltaic (PV) system
3
Q
_______ is a system in which many smaller power-generating systems create electrical power near the point of consumption.
A
Distributed generation
4
Q
A _______ is an electrical or structural component, aside from a major component, that is required to complete a PV system.
A
balance-of-system (BOS) component
5
Q
An _______ is a business that designs, builds, and installs complete PV systems for particular applications by matching components from various manufacturers.
A
integrator
6
Q
_______ is an organization, office, or individual designated by local government with legal powers to administer, interpret, and enforce building codes.
A
Authority having jurisdiction (AHJ)
7
Q
A _______ is a device designed to absorb solar radiation and convert it to another form, usually heat or electricity.
A
solar energy collector
8
Q
A _______ is a solar energy collector that absorbs solar energy on a flat surface without concentrating it, and can utilize solar radiation directly from the sun as well as radiation that is reflected or scattered by clouds and other surfaces.
A
flat-plate collector
9
Q
A _______ is a solar energy collector that enhances solar energy by focusing it on a smaller area through reflective surfaces or lenses.
A
concentrating collector
10
Q
_______ is a technology that uses mirrors and lenses to reflect and concentrate solar radiation from a large area onto a small area.
A
Concentrating solar power (CSP)
11
Q
_______ is energy that eminates from a source in the form of waves or particles
A
Radiation
12
Q
_______ is the power of solar radiation per unit area.
A
Solar irradiance
13
Q
_______ is the total amount of solar energy accumulated on an area over time.
A
Solar irradiation
14
Q
______ is solar radiation just outside Earth’s atmosphere.
A
Extraterrestrial solar radiation
15
Q
The _______ is the average extraterrestrial solar power (irradiance) at a distance of 1AU from the sun, which has a value of approximately 1366 W/m2.
A
solar constant
16
Q
______ is radiation in the form of waves with electric and magnetic properties.
A
Electromagnetic radiation
17
Q
The _______ is the range of all types of electromagnetic radiation, based on wavelength.
A
Electromagnetic spectrum
18
Q
_______ is all of the solar radiation reaching Earth’s surface and is the sum of direct and diffuse radiation.
A
Total global radiation
19
Q
______ is solar radiation directly from the sun that reaches Earth’s surface without scattering.
A
Direct radiation
20
Q
______ is solar radiation that is scattered by the atmosphere and clouds.
A
Diffuse radiation
21
Q
______ is the point in the sky directly overhead a particular location.
A
Zenith
22
Q
The ______ is the angle between the sun and the zenith.
A
zenith angle
23
Q
______ is a representation of the relative thickness of atmosphere that solar radiation must pass through to reach a point on Earth’s surface.
A
Air mass (AM)
24
Q
______ is solar radiation reaching the surface of the Earth.
A
Terrestrial solar radiation
25
______ is an estimate of maximum terrestrial solar irradiance around solar noon at sea level and has a generally accepted value of 1000 W/m2.
Peak sun
26
______ is the number of hours required for a day's total solar irradiation to accumulate at peak sun condition.
Peak sun hours
27
______ is the solar energy that reaches Earth's surface over the course of a day.
Insolation
28
A ______ is an encapsulated PV cell that outputs a known amount of electrical current per unit of solar irradiance.
reference cell
29
The ______ is the plane of Earth's orbit around the sun.
ecliptic plane
30
The ______ is the plane containing Earth's equator and extending outward into space.
equatorial plane
31
______ is the angle between the equatorial plane and rays of the sun.
Solar declination
32
A ______ is Earth's orbital position when solar declination is at its minimum or maximum.
solstice
33
An ______ is Earth's orbital position when solar declination is zero.
equinox
34
______ is a timescale based on the apparent motion of the sun crossing a local meridian.
Solar time
35
A ______ is a plane formed by due north-south longitude line through a location on Earth and projected out into space.
meridian
36
______ is the moment when the sun crosses a local meridian and is at its highest position of the day.
Solar noon
37
______ is a timescale based on the apparent motion of the sun crossing standard meridians.
Standard time
38
A ______ is a meridian located at a multiple of 15 degrees east or west of zero longitude.
standard meridian
39
The ______ is the difference between solar time and standard time at a standard meridian.
Equation of Time
40
An ______ is a diagram of solar declination against the Equation of Time.
Analemma
41
The ______ is the vertical angle between the sun and the horizon.
solar altitude angle
42
The ______ is the horizontal angle between a reference direction (typically due south in the Northern Hemisphere) and the sun.
solar azimuth angle
43
The ______ is the area of sky between sun paths for summer and winter solstice.
solar window
44
The ______ is the angle between the sun's rays and a line perpendicular to the array surface
incidence angle
45
The ______ is the verticle angle between horizontal and the array surface.
array tilt angle
46
The ______is the horizontal angle between a reference direction and the direction an array surface faces.
array azimuth angle
47
______ is the angle between the direction a compass needle points (towards magnetic north) and true geographic north.
Magnetic declination
48
A ______ is a device that regulates battery charge by controlling the charging voltage and/or current from a DC power source, such as a PV array.
charge controller
49
A ______ is a device that converts AC power to DC power.
rectifier
50
A ______ is a device that combines a rectifier with filters, transformers, and other components to condition DC power for the purpose of battery charging.
charger
51
A ______ is a device that converts DC power from one voltage to another.
DC-DC converter
52
A ______ is a device or circuit that uses electronics to continually adjust the load on a PV device under changing temperature and irradiance conditions to keep it operating at its maximum power point.
maximum power point tracker
53
A ______ is a device that compresses and burns a fuel-air mixture, which expands and spins a turbine.
gas turbine
54
A ______ is an electrochemical device that uses hydrogen and oxygen to produce DC electricity, with water and heat as byproducts.
fuel cell
55
An ______ is an electrochemical device that uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen
electrolyzer
56
A ______ is a type of PV system that operates autonomously and supplies power to electrical loads independently of the electric utility.
stand-alone PV system
57
A ______ is a type of stand-alone system where the output of a PV module or array is directly connected to a DC load.
direct-coupled PV system
58
A ______ is a type of stand-alone system that uses no active control systems to protect the battery, except through careful design and component sizing.
self-regulating PV system
59
A ______ is a PV system that operates in parallel with and is connected to the electrical utility grid.
utility-interactive
60
______ is a metering arrangement where any excess energy exported to the utility is subtracted from the amount of energy imported from it.
Net metering
61
______ is the arrangement that measures energy exported to and imported from the utility grid separately.
Dual metering
62
______ is the undesirable condition where a distributed-generation power source, such as a PV system, continues to transfer power to the utility grid during a utility outage.
Islanding
63
A ______ is a PV system that can operate in either utility-interactive or stand-alone mode and uses battery storage.
bimodal system
64
A ______ is a stand-alone system that includes two or more distributed energy sources.
hybrid system
65
A ______ is a hybrid system that combines DC power output from all energy sources, including the PV array, for charging the battery bank.
DC bus hybrid system
66
A ______ is a hybrid system that supplies the loads with AC power from multiple energy sources.
Ac bus hybrid system
67
A _____ is a semiconductor device that converts solar radiation into direct current electricity.
photovoltaic cell
68
______ is the process of adding small amounts of impurity elements to semiconductors to alter their electrical properties.
Doping
69
A ______ is a semiconductor that has electron voids.
P-type semiconductor
70
A ______ is a semiconductor that has free electrons.
N-Type semiconductor
71
A ____ is a unit of electromagnetic radiation.
photon
72
A ______ is a cell that maximizes efficiency by using layers of individual cells that each respond to different wavelengths of solar energy.
multifunction cell
73
A ______ is a module-like PV device with its entire substrate coated in thin layers of semiconductor material using chemical vapor deposition techniques, and then laser-scribed to delineate individual cells and make electrical connections between cells.
thin-film module
74
A _____ is a cell that relies on chemical processes to produce electricity from light, rather than using semiconductors.
photoelectrochemical cell
75
A _____ is a thin, flat disk or rectangle of base semiconductor material.
wafer
76
A ______ is a silicon wafer made from a single silicon crystal grown in the form of a cylindrical ingot.
monocrystalline wafer
77
A ______ is a silicone wafer made from a cast silicon ingot that is composed of many silicon crystals.
polycrystalline wafer
78
A ______ is a silicone wafer made by drawing a thin strip from a molten silicone mixture.
ribbon wafer
79
The ______ is the basic electrical output profile of a PV device.
current-voltage (I-V) characteristic
80
An ______ is the graphic representation of all possible voltage and current operating points for a PV device at a specific operating condition.
I-V curve
81
(V oc) stands for ______
open-circuit Voltage
82
(I sc) stands for ______
short-circuit current
83
(P mp) stands for ______
maximum power point
84
(V mp) stands for ______
maximum power voltage
85
(I mp) stands for ______
maximum power current
86
_____ is the ratio of maximum power to the product of the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current.
Fill factor (FF)
87
_____ is the ratio of power input to power output.
Efficiency
88
The ______ is the coefficient for estimating the rise in cell temperature above ambient temperature due to solar irradiance.
temperature-rise coefficient
89
A ______ is the rate of change in voltage, current, or power output from a PV device due to changing cell temperature.
temperature coefficient
90
A ______ is a PV device consisting of a number of individual cells connected electrically, laminated, encapsulated, and packaged into a frame.
module
91
An ______ is a complete PV power-generating unit consisting of a number of individual electrically and mechanically integrated modules with structural supports, trackers or other components.
array
92
______ is the condition of a PV device operating at negative (reverse) voltage.
Reverse bias
93
A ______ is a diode used to pass current around,rather than through, a group of PV cells.
bypass diode
94
______ is the minimum reverse-bias voltage that results in a rapid increase in current through an electronic device.
breakdown voltage
95
A ______ is the basic unit in a battery that stores electrical energy in chemical bonds and delivers this energy through chemical reaction.
battery cell
96
A ______ is an electrode consisting of active material supported by a grid framework.
plate
97
______ is the chemically reactive compound on a battery cell plate.
Active material
98
The ______ is a metal framework that supports the activeaterial of a battery cell and conducts electricity.
grid
99
______ is the conducting medium that allows the transfer of ions between battery cell plates.
Electrolyte
100
______ is an open-circuit condition where essentially no electrical or chemical changes are occurring.
Steady-state
101
_____ is the measure of the electrical energy storage potential of a cell or battery.
Capacity
102
______ is the process of a cell or battery converting chemical energy to electrical energy and delivering current.
Discharging
103
The ______ is the minimum battery voltage specified by the manufacturer that establishes the battery capacity at a specific discharge rate.
cutoff voltage
104
The ______ is the percentage of energy remaining in a battery compared to the fully charged capacity.
state of charge (SOC)
105
______ is the percentage of withdrawn energy in a battery compared to the fully charged capacity.
Depth of discharge (DOD)
106
______ is the amount of time a fully charged battery system can supply power to system loads without further charging.
Autonomy
107
A ______ is a battery discharge followed by a charge.
cycle
108
______ is a battery charging at a relatively high charge rate that charges the battery up to a regulation voltage, resulting in a state of about 80% to 90% charge.
Bulk charging
109
______ is battery charging following bulk charging that reduces the charge current to maintain the battery voltage at a regulation voltage for a certain period.
Absorption charging
110
______ is battery charging at a low charge rate that maintains full battery charge by counteracting self-discharge.
Float charging
111
______ is current-limited battery charging to a voltage higher than bulk charging voltage, which brings each cell to a full state of charge.
Equalizing charging
112
______ is the decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen gases as a battery charges.
Gassing
113
______ is the ratio of applied charge to the resulting increase in battery charge.
Overcharge
114
______ is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of water.
Specific gravity
115
_____ is the growth of lead sulfate crystals on the positive plate of a lead-acid battery.
Sulfication
116
______ is a condition of flooded lead-acid cells in which the specific gravity of the electrolyte is greater at the bottom than at the top.
Stratification
117
A _____ is a battery that can store and deliver electrical energy but cannot be recharged.
primary battery
118
A ______ is a battery that can store and deliver electrical energy and can be charged by passing a current through it in an opposite direction to the discharge current.
secondary battery
119
A ______ is a class of battery designed for repeated deep-discharge cycle service.
traction battery
120
A ______ is a class of battery designed primarily for shallow-discharge cycle service.
starting, lighting, and ignition (SLI) battery
121
A ______ is a class of battery designed for occasional deep-discharge limited-cycle service.
stationary battery
122
A ______ is a vent cap that reduces electrolyte loss from an open-vent flooded battery by recombinant vented gases into water.
catalytic recombination cap (CRC)
123
A ______ is a device that regulates battery charge by controlling the charging voltage and/or current from a DC power source.
charge controller
124
______ is the ratio of the increase in battery charge to the amount of charge applied to the battery.
Charge acceptance
125
______ is a charge cycle in which less charge is returned to a battery bank than what was withdrawn on discharge.
Deficit charge
126
______ is the condition of a battery state of charge declining to the point where it can no longer supply discharge current at a sufficient voltage without damaging the battery.
Overdischarge
127
An ______ is a charge controller that switches the charging current ON and OFF for charge regulation.
Interrupting-type charge controller
128
A ______ is a charge controller that limits charging current in a linear or gradual manner with high-speed switching or linear control.
Linear-type charge controller
129
A ______ is a charge controller that limits charging current to a battery system by short-circuiting the array.
Shunt charge controller
130
A ______ is a charge controller that suspends charging current to a battery system by completely short-circuiting the array.
Shunt-interrupting charge controller
131
A ______ is a charge controller that suspends charging current to a battery system by gradually lowering the resistance of a shunt element through which excess current flows.
Shunt-linear charge controller
132
A ______ is a charge controller that limits charging current to a battery system by open-circuiting the array.
Series charge controller
133
A ______is a charge controller that completely open-circuits the array, suspending current flow into the battery.
Series-interrupting charge controller
134
A _____ is a charge controller that limits charging current to a battery system by gradually increasing the resistance of a series element.
Series-linear charge controller
135
A ______ is a charge controller that simulates a variable charging current by switching a series element ON and OFF at high frequency and for variable lengths of time.
Series-interrupting, pulse-width-modulated charge controller (PWM)
136
A ______ is a charge controller that operates the array at itsaximum power point under a range of operating conditions, as well as regulates battery charging.
Maximum powere point tracking (MPPT) charge controller
137
A _____y is a charge controller that regulates charging current to a battery system by diverting excess power to an auxiliary load.
diversionary charge controller
138
The _____ is an auxiliary load that is not a critical system load but is always available to utilize the full array power in a useful way to protect a battery from overcharge.
diversion load
139
A _____ is a controller with advanced features for managing multiple energy sources.
hybrid system controller
140
An _____ is a charge controller that counts the total amount of charge (in ampere-hours) into and out of a battery and regulates charging based on a preset amount of overcharge.
ampere-hour integrating charge controller
141
The _____ is the voltage the triggers the onset of battery charge regulation because it is the maximum voltage that a battery is allowed to reach under normal operating conditions.
voltage regulation (VR) setpoint
142
The ______ is the voltage at which an interrupting-type charge controller reconnects the array to the battery and resumes charging.
array reconnect voltage (ARV) setpoint
143
The ______ is the voltage difference between the voltage regulation (VR) setpoint and the array reconnect voltage (ARC) setpoint.
voltage regulation hysteresis (VRH)
144
The ______ is the voltage that triggers the disconnection of system loads to prevent battery overdischarge because it is the minimum voltage a battery is allowed to reach under normal operating conditions.
low-voltage disconnect (LVD) setpoint
145
The _____ is the voltage at which a charge controller reconnects loads to the battery system.
load reconnect voltage (LRV) setpoint
146
The ______ is the voltage difference between the low-voltage disconnect (LVD) and load reconnect voltage (LRV) setpoints.
low-voltage disconnect hysteresis (LVDH)
147
______ is the percentage of time a load is operating.
Duty cycle
148
The ______ is the ratio of electrical energy demand to average insulation during a period.
critical design ratio
149
The ______ is the month with the highest critical design ratio.
critical design month
150
______ is the percentage of time over an average year that a stand alone PV system meets the system load requirements.
System availability
151
______ is the amount of time a fully charged battery system can supply power to system loads without further charging.
Autonomy
152
The ______ is the portion of load operating power that comes from the battery bank over the course of a day.
load fraction
153
______ is the accumulation of dust and dirt on an array surface that shades the array and reduces electrical output.
Soiling
154
The ______ is the estimated temperature of aodule operating in a specific mounting system design.
installed nominal operating cell temperature (INOCT)
155
A _____y is a fixed array that replaces conventional building materials with specifically designed modules that perform an architectural function in addition to producing power.
building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) array
156
A _____ is a calculated structural load used to evaluate the strength of a structure to failure.
design load
157
The _____ is the maximum value of a 3 sec gust a 33' elevation, which is used in wind load calculations.
basic wind speed
158
______ is a wind load factor that accounts for the array height and the characteristics of the surrounding terrain.
Exposure
159
The ______ is the force required to remove a screw from a material by tensile (pulling) force only.
allowable withdrawal load
160
______ is the addition of lumber under a roof surface and between trusses or rafters as supplemental structural support.
Blocking
161
_____ is the addition of lumber under a roof surface and across trusses or rafters as supplemental structural support.
Spanning
162
______ is an attachment method that relies on the weight of the array, support structure, and ballasting material to hold the array in position.
Self-ballasting
