Alternating Current (AC) – electric current which periodically reverses direction and changes its magnitude continuously
Ampere (amp) – base unit of electric current
Array – an interconnected system of solar panels
Azimuth – angle that the solar panels are facing and is measured in a clockwise direction from north
Battery – an electrical device that converts the sun’s radiation into electricity
Degradation rate – the rate at which the panel begins to be less effective due to normal wear and tear
Direct Current (DC) – one-directional flow of electric charge
Electric Current – a stream of charged particles, such as electrons, moving through an electrical conductor or space
Grid – a network for delivering electricity from where it is produced to where it is used by consumers
Grid-tied – a semi-autonomous electrical generation or grid energy storage system which links to the mains to feed excess capacity back to the local mains electrical grid
Insolation – the amount of sun that can reach a particular area
Inverter – electrical device that converts DC to AC
Kilowatt hour (kWH) – a unit of energy equal to one kilowatt of power sustained for one hour
Monocrystalline – panels using single crystal of silicon, grown to the proper size for the panel, generally more efficient
Net metering – an electricity billing system allowing users who generate some or all of their own electricity to use that electricity anytime, instead of when it is generated.
Off-grid – a system of generating power that does not rely or connect to local power grids
Ohm – electrical resistance between two points of a conductor when a constant potential difference of one volt, applied to these points, produces in the conductor a current of one ampere
Output – electricity a battery can pump out either into your home or onto the grid
Photovoltaic effect – generation of voltage and electric current in a material upon exposure to light
Photovoltaics – conversion of light into electricity using semiconducting materials
Polycrystalline – cells using many small crystals of silicon melded together
Rectifier – electrical device that converts AC to DC
Resistance – measure of its opposition to the flow of electric current
Solar Offset – the division of the amount of energy your system produces by the amount that your home used over the same period of time
System Capacity – the amount of electricity that your system can generate
Trackers – Devices that change the orientation of the solar panels in order to maximize sun angle
Watt – a unit of power. It’s the measurement of the amount of work that a circuit can do given the voltage and current that the electricity is flowing with
