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luminous:glossary [2008-02-23 12:28] – created takufoam | luminous:glossary [2008-02-23 12:30] – takufoam | ||
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PV-Vocabulary | PV-Vocabulary | ||
- | 3D-Solar Cell: capture photons from sunlight using an array of miniature “tower” structures that resemble high-rise buildings in a city street grid. Animation on: www.gatech.edu/ | + | **3D-Solar Cell:** capture photons from sunlight using an array of miniature “tower” structures that resemble high-rise buildings in a city street grid. Animation on: www.gatech.edu/ |
- | Amp: short for ampere, the unit used to measure the instantaneous flow of electrons, theoretically, | + | **Amp:** short for ampere, the unit used to measure the instantaneous flow of electrons, theoretically, |
- | Amp-hour: measure of a batteries ability to sustain a flow of energy over time; 60 amp-hours indicated a battery can deliver one amp for sixty hours. | + | |
- | Balance of System (components): | + | **Amp-hour:** measure of a batteries ability to sustain a flow of energy over time; 60 amp-hours indicated a battery can deliver one amp for sixty hours. |
- | Base-load electricity: | + | |
- | Biodegradation: | + | **Balance of System** (components): |
- | Charge controller: the device in a stand-alone energy system that feeds electricity from the source, typically a PV array, to the battery bank. The charge controller protects the batteries from overcharging. | + | |
- | Clean energies: Clean describes any energy source the exploitation of which does not generate significant amounts of pollution, and therefore negatively impact the health of human populations and the biosphere as a whole. | + | **Base-load electricity: |
- | Current: flow. In a river, the current is usually strongest near the center where the river is deepest. In electrical terms, current means the electrons flowing through a conductor, and is measured in amperes, one amp meaning 6.02x1023 electrons. | + | |
- | Distributed energies: Distributed describes any energy source that can be deployed – often rapidly - on small, medium or large scales close to the point of consumption. | + | **Biodegradation: |
- | Distributed generation (DG): contrasts with centralized generation, a term that characterizes conventional large-scale fossil fuel or nuclear power plant generation. | + | |
- | Doping: Semiconductors into which tiny quantities of impurities (boron, phosphorus) have been deliberately diffused. This process dramatically alters the behaviour of the semiconductor in a very usefull manner. | + | **Charge controller:** the device in a stand-alone energy system that feeds electricity from the source, typically a PV array, to the battery bank. The charge controller protects the batteries from overcharging. |
+ | |||
+ | **Clean energies:** Clean describes any energy source the exploitation of which does not generate significant amounts of pollution, and therefore negatively impact the health of human populations and the biosphere as a whole. | ||
+ | |||
+ | **Current:** flow. In a river, the current is usually strongest near the center where the river is deepest. In electrical terms, current means the electrons flowing through a conductor, and is measured in amperes, one amp meaning 6.02x1023 electrons. | ||
+ | |||
+ | **Distributed energies:** Distributed describes any energy source that can be deployed – often rapidly - on small, medium or large scales close to the point of consumption. | ||
+ | |||
+ | **Distributed generation (DG):** contrasts with centralized generation, a term that characterizes conventional large-scale fossil fuel or nuclear power plant generation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | **Doping:** Semiconductors into which tiny quantities of impurities (boron, phosphorus) have been deliberately diffused. This process dramatically alters the behaviour of the semiconductor in a very usefull manner. | ||
Efficiencies of a PV cell/ | Efficiencies of a PV cell/ | ||
Usually efficiencies are determined under standard test conditions of 1,000 W/m2 illumination and 25°C. The spectral distribution of the light is expressed in terms of an optical air mass (AM) number. AM0 corresponds to the spectrum in space, AM1 to the spectrum at the earth' | Usually efficiencies are determined under standard test conditions of 1,000 W/m2 illumination and 25°C. The spectral distribution of the light is expressed in terms of an optical air mass (AM) number. AM0 corresponds to the spectrum in space, AM1 to the spectrum at the earth' |