Activated shelf life is the period of time during which a product, such as a solar panel, is expected to remain in working order.
Activation voltage(s) refer to the voltages that must be applied to a device in order for it to turn on and operate.
Alternating current is an electrical current in which the direction of the flow of electrons changes periodically over time.
An ampere is a unit of measurement for electric current.
An ampere-hour is a unit of measurement for the amount of electric charge that has been used over a given period of time.
The angle of incidence is the angle at which the sun’s rays strike a surface.
Antireflection coating is a type of coating that is applied to solar panel surfaces to reduce the amount of light that is reflected off of them.
Azimuth is the compass direction in which a solar panel is facing.
Battery cycle life is the total number of full charge and discharge cycles a battery can withstand before its capacity is reduced. The cycle life of a battery is affected by numerous factors, such as depth of discharge, temperature, and charging rate.
Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) is a type of solar energy system that is integrated into the structure of a building.
The maximum amount of electricity a solar installation is able to generate, measured in kilowatts (kW).
A converter is a device that is used to convert direct current (DC) electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity.
Direct current (DC) is an electrical current in which the flow of electrons is always in the same direction.
A disconnect is a device that is used to safely disconnect a solar energy system from the electrical grid.
Distributed generation is a type of electricity generation in which power is generated at multiple locations instead of a single centralized location.
Downtime is the period of time when a solar energy system is not operating due to maintenance, repairs, or other causes.
Efficiency is a measure of how much of the energy that is input into a solar energy system is converted into usable electricity.
Electrical current is the flow of electrons through a conductor, such as a wire, in order to create a circuit. It is measured in amperes (amps) and is generated by batteries, solar panels, or other electricity sources.
Electrical panel upgrades refer to the process of replacing or upgrading an existing electrical panel to better meet the needs of a solar energy system.
An electricity grid is a network of wires and other equipment that is used to deliver electricity from power plants to homes and businesses.
An energy audit is an assessment of a home or business’s energy use in order to identify areas of improvement.
Energy density is a measure of the amount of energy stored in a given volume of a battery or other energy storage device.
An energy distributor is a company that supplies energy to consumers.
An energy performance contractor is a company that specializes in assessing and improving the energy efficiency of a home or business.
A company that sells electricity to consumers and businesses, typically through a variety of electricity plans. They may also offer energy services such as solar installations, energy efficiency programs, and energy storage solutions.
The federal solar tax credit is a tax credit that is available to people who install solar energy systems on their homes or businesses.
A feed-in tariff (FiT) is a policy that requires energy companies to purchase renewable energy from consumers at a predetermined rate.
Full sun is the amount of sunlight a solar panel receives when it is not shaded by trees or other objects.
A gigawatt is a unit of measurement for power and is equal to one billion watts.
A gigawatt-hour is a unit of measurement for energy and is equal to one billion watt-hours.
Greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming.
Grid parity is the point at which the cost of energy produced by solar energy systems is equal to or lower than the cost of energy from traditional sources.
A grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system is a solar energy system that is connected to the electrical grid and can send excess electricity back to the grid.
Gross metering is a type of metering in which all of the electricity produced by a solar energy system is sent to the electrical grid.
An interconnection agreement is a contract between a solar energy system owner and an energy company that outlines the terms and conditions of connecting the solar energy system to the electrical grid.
An inverter is a device that converts direct current (DC) electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity.
Irradiance is a measure of the amount of solar energy that is received by a surface.
A junction box is a device used to safely connect a solar energy system to an electrical grid.
A kilowatt is a unit of measurement for power and is equal to one thousand watts.
A kilowatt-hour is a unit of measurement for energy and is equal to one thousand watt-hours.
A lead-acid battery is a type of rechargeable battery commonly used in solar energy systems.
The levelized cost of energy (LCOE) is a measure of the cost of energy produced by a solar energy system over its lifetime.
A load is the amount of electricity that is being used by a home or business at a given time.
Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is a type of solar energy system technology that automatically optimizes the output of the system to maximize energy production.
A megawatt is a unit of measurement for power and is equal to one million watts.
A megawatt-hour is a unit of measurement for energy and is equal to one million watt-hours.
A meter is a device that is used to measure the amount of electricity that is being used.
A microinverter is a type of inverter that is designed to be used with individual solar panels.
Mounting equipment is the hardware used to attach solar panels to a roof or other structure.
Net metering is a type of metering in which the energy produced by a solar energy system is offset against the energy consumed from the grid.
Operations and maintenance (O&M) refer to the activities required to keep a solar energy system in working order.
Overproduction is the term used to describe a situation in which a solar energy system produces more energy than is being used.
The payback period is the amount of time it takes for a solar energy system to pay for itself with the energy it produces.
Peak demand/load is the maximum amount of electricity that is used at any given moment.
Peak sunlight is the amount of sunlight a solar panel receives when it is facing the sun directly.
A photovoltaic (PV) array is a group of solar panels that are connected together to produce electricity.
A photovoltaic (PV) cell is a device that is used to convert light into electricity.
A photovoltaic (PV) system is a system that is used to capture, convert, and store solar energy.
Photovoltaic (PV) is the process by which light is converted into electricity and the photovoltaic effect is the phenomenon by which this happens.
The measure of the rate at which energy is transferred or converted from one form to another. It is typically measured in watts.
A power purchase agreement (PPA) is a contract between an energy company and a solar energy system owner that outlines the terms and conditions of purchasing electricity from the solar energy system.
Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) is a type of financing program that allows homeowners to finance the installation of solar energy systems.
Referrals are recommendations from friends and family about a solar energy company.
Renewable energy is energy that is generated from sources that are naturally replenished, such as the sun, wind, and water.
Service transfer is the process of transferring a solar energy system from one owner to another.
A solar battery is a type of battery that is used to store energy produced by a solar energy system.
A solar cell is a device that is used to convert light into electricity.
A solar dealer is a company that sells and installs solar energy systems.
Solar design is the process of designing a solar energy system that meets the needs of a home or business.
A form of renewable energy that is harnessed from the sun's rays and converted into electricity or heat. It is an environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and abundant source of energy.
A solar installer is a company that specializes in installing solar energy systems.
A solar lease is an agreement between a solar energy system owner and a leasing company in which the leasing company owns the system and the owner pays for the energy it produces.
A solar lease escalator is an increase in the amount of money that is paid for solar energy over time.
A solar loan is a type of financing that is used to purchase a solar energy system.
Solar monitoring is the process of collecting and analyzing data from a solar energy system in order to identify areas of improvement.
Solar panel orientation is the direction in which a solar panel is facing.
Solar panel tilt/pitch is the angle at which a solar panel is positioned.
A solar panel warranty is a guarantee from the manufacturer that a solar panel will operate as expected for a certain period of time.
A solar panel (also known as a solar module) is a device that is used to capture, convert, and store solar energy.
Solar power is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). It is a renewable energy source that can be used to generate electricity and heat for both industrial and residential applications.
A solar renewable energy credit (SREC) is a tradable certificate that is awarded to solar energy system owners for each megawatt-hour of electricity their system produces.
Storage is the process of storing energy produced by a solar energy system for use at a later time.
A string inverter is a type of inverter that is designed to be used with multiple solar panels.
The temperature coefficient is a measure of how much the performance of a solar energy system is affected by changes in temperature.
Thin-film solar is a type of solar energy system that uses thin layers of material to capture and convert sunlight into electricity.
Third-party ownership (TPO) is a type of financing in which a third-party company owns and maintains the solar energy system and the owner pays for the energy it produces.
Time-of-use (TOU) is a type of pricing plan in which the cost of electricity varies depending on the time of day it is used.
Underproduction is the term used to describe a situation in which a solar energy system produces less energy than is being used.
A watt is a unit of measurement for power.
The zenith angle is the angle at which the sun is directly overhead.
Zero net energy is a term used to describe buildings and communities that produce as much energy as they consume.