Glossary of Solar Terms
AC: Alternating current. Describes when an electrical current repeatedly reverses direction in a circuit. Almost all household appliances use AC electricity.
Breaker box: The point at which electricity is received and distributed throughout a building. Individual circuits can be enabled and disabled here.
DC: Direct current. Describes when electricity flows in one direction, from the positive part of the circuit to the negative part. Solar panels produce DC electricity.
Electrical grid: Sometimes referred to simply as “the grid,” this is the network of power generation plants (including home solar systems) and transmission lines that provides electricity to almost every city and town in the country.
Electrical panel: A breaker box.
Inverter: A device that transforms DC electricity into AC and vice versa.
Kilowatt (kW): 1,000 Watts, and the standard measurement of size for a solar electric system.
Kilowatt-hours (kWh): The measurement of energy consumption used on your electricity bills. 1 kWh of consumption is equivalent to running a 1,000-Watt appliance for one hour.
Net metering: An arrangement with your local electrical utility to base your bill on the difference between the amount of electricity your home takes from the grid and the amount your solar system adds to it.
Photoelectric effect: The process through which certain materials absorb photons and release electrons.
Photon: The basic unit of light and all electromagnetic radiation.
Photovoltaic module: A solar panel.
Photovoltaics: The process through which certain materials convert sunlight into DC electricity.
Power purchase agreement (PPA): An arrangement where instead of buying a solar electric system, the customer allows one to be installed on their property and then purchases the power from it, plus a low monthly fee. Our power purchase agreement is called the PowerSavings Plan.
PowerSavings Plan: The easiest, most affordable way to go solar. We build a system at your house and provide its maintenance and repairs so you can enjoy cheaper, cleaner power with no worries.
PV: The word “photovoltaic” abbreviated.
Solar array: A set of solar panels wired together.
Solar electricity: Electricity derived from solar energy via the photoelectric effect.
Solar energy: Light and heat radiated by the sun.
Solar panel: A group of photovoltaic cells electrically connected in a circuit that converts sunlight into DC electricity.
Utility: The organization, municipality or corporation that produces the electricity you would normally use without the aid of solar panels.
Watt: The basic unit of power.
