AC- Alternating current
Alternating Current or AC electricity is a back-and-forth movement
of electrons in a wire, similar to sloshing water back-and-forth in a
hose. When the force of a negative (-) charge is at one end of a wire
and a positive (+) potential is at the other end, the electrons in the
wire will move away from the (-) charge, just like in DC electricity.
But if the charges at the ends of the wires are suddenly switched, the
electrons will reverse their direction. (see also DC-
Direct Current)
ACPI- Advanced Configuration and Power Interface
ACPI is a power management specification developed by Intel,
Toshiba and Microsoft that makes hardware status information available
to the operating system. ACPI enables a PC to turn its peripherals on
and off for improved power management especially in portables. It also
allows the PC to be turned on and off by external devices, so that the
touch of a mouse or the press of a key will "wake up" the machine.
AP- Access Point
Short for Access Point, a hardware device or a computer's
software that acts as a communication hub for users of a wireless device
to connect to a wired LAN. APs are important for providing heightened
wireless security and for extending the physical range of service a wireless
user has access to.
APM- Advanced Power Management
APM is an API (Application Program Interface)
developed by Intel and Microsoft that allows developers to include power
management in BIOSes.For more information on the different power saving
modes, such as Ready, Standby, Suspended, Hibernation, and Off, see Description
of the Different Advanced Power Management States (Microsoft Support
web site)
BD- Biodiesel
Biodiesel is a vegetable oil-based fuel that runs in diesel engines -
cars, buses, trucks, construction equipment, boats, generators, and oil
home heating units. It's usually made from soy or canola oil, and can
also be made from recycled fryer oil. You can blend it with regular diesel
or run 100% biodiesel.
BIOS- Basic input/output system
BIOS is the built-in software that determines what a computer can do without
accessing programs from a disk. On PCs, the BIOS contains all the code
required to control the keyboard, display screen, disk drives, serial
communications, and a number of miscellaneous functions.
BOS- Balance of systems
In a renewable energy system, BOS is a quantity that refers to all components
other than the mechanism used to harvest the resource (such as solar panels
or a wind turbine). It includes design costs, land, site preparation,
system installation, support structures, power conditioning, operation
and maintenance costs, batteries, indirect storage, and related costs.
CFL- Compact Fluorescent Lights
CFLs use less energy than standard lights. The typical CFL bulb
consumes only about 25 percent of the electricity required by standard
bulbs.
COE- Cost of electricityThe cost of
electricity (COE) is comprised of three components: capital and installation
(C&I), operation and maintenance (O&M), and fuel (F). The total cost of
electricity from a DER device is the sum of these three components, expressed
in dollars (or cents) per kilowatt-hour: Total COE ($/kWh) = C&I +
O&M + F.
CPU- Central Processing Unit.
The main computational section of a computer that interprets and executes
instructions. The CPU of a desktop computer can consume
as much as 80 W. The overal energy consumption of a computer is mostly
a function of the CPU and the screen technologies.
CRT- Cathode ray tube
CRT is the technology behind most television sets and computer display
screens used to accompany desktop computers. See also LCD)
DC- Direct current
DC electricity is a direct flow of electrons through a conductor
such as a metal wire. A battery or DC generator usually provides a source
of electrons and the potential or voltage between the positive (+) and
negative (-) terminals. This flow of electrons through a wire can be thought
of as similar to the constant flow of water through a hose. (See also
AC- Alternating Current)
ELC- Electronic Load Controller
EPA- Environmental Protection Agency (US)
EPA Web site: http://www.epa.gov/
GHG- Green House Gases
Greenhouse gases (GHG) are gaseous components of the atmosphere that contribute
to the greenhouse effect. The major natural greenhouse gases are water
vapor, which in the cloudless case causes (see note below) about 60-70%
of the greenhouse effect on Earth, carbon dioxide (about 26%) and ozone.
Grid- When used in reference to utility
power, it refers to a system of electrical transmission and distribution
lines.
HDPE- High Density Polyethylene
HDPE is the plastic commonly used to make milk and water jugs and two
liter soda bottle bases.
HF- High Frequency
High-frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-kHz range.
ICT- Information and Communication Technology
ICT refers to both computer and communication technology. IT (or information
technology) is defined as any equipment or interconnected system (subsystem)
of equipment that includes all forms of technology used to create, store,
manipulate, manage, move, display, switch, interchange, transmit or receive
information in its various forms. Information can be in the form of: business
data; voice conversations; still images; motion pictures; multimedia presentations
and other forms including those not yet conceived. The meaning of communication
refers to a system of shared symbols and meanings that binds people together
into a group, a community, or a culture. The word communication was added
to IT so as to make a network of the usage of Information Technology.
IEEE- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Professional organization whose activities include the development of
communications and network standards. IEEE LAN standards are the predominant
LAN standards today.
Inverter
Inverters convert DC electricity that is stored in batteries to AC electricity
that is used in common household appliances.
ISP- Internet Service Provider
An ISP provides access to the Internet for others via some connectivity
service(s). This might be in the form of dial up services, web hosting
services or the combination of both
ITU International Telecommunication Union
The ITU, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland is an international organization
within the United Nations System where governments and the private sector
coordinate global telecom networks and services. ITU web site: http://www.itu.int.
LAN- Local Area Network
A LAN is a local computer network for communication between computers;
especially a network connecting computers and word processors and other
electronic office equipment to create a communication system between offices.
LCD Monitor
A screen for displaying text/graphics based on a technology called liquid
crystal, where minute currents change the reflectiveness or transparency
of the screen. The advantages of LCD screens are: very small power consumption
(can be easily battery driven) and low price of mass produced units. Its
disadvantages presently include narrow viewing angle, somewhat slower
response time, invisibility in the dark unless the display is back-lit,
difficulties displaying true colors and resolution limitations. (see also
CRT)
LED- Light Emitting Diode
A small indicator light most often used to show the power is on or the
device is being used. LEDs are found on your computer case, monitor, printer,
modem, CD-ROM drive, and hard drive.
Life Cycle Cost (LCC):
The cost of a good or service over its entire life cycle.
See http://www.sandia.gov/pv/docs/LCcost.htm
LMR- Land Mobile Radio
(also called "trunked radio")
LOS - Line of Sight
This term is often associated with radio transmission systems indicating
there is a clear path between the transmitter and receiver. An example
of a communication system that requires a Line Of Sight is a microwave
link.
LTSP - Linux Terminal Server Program
Micro-hydro
There is no universally accepted definition of the size of micro-hydro
vs. pico-hydro systems. The most common convention is to label systems
under 100 kW as micro-hydro. Pico-hydro are often considered to be under
1 kW. Knowing the prevailing definition of micro- and pico-hydro can be
important because in some countries, these designations have implications
for local laws and regulations.
NPC - Net Present Cost
NTC - Negative Thermal Coefficient
Off Grid - An electrical system
that is not connected to a utility distribution grid.
O&M - Operation and Maintenance
OS - Operating System
The basic software that makes a computer run. An OS schedules tasks, allocates
storage, handles the interface to peripheral hardware and presents a default
interface to the user when no application program is running.
PDA- Personal Digital Assistant
Photovoltaic (or PV)
Photovoltaic (or PV) systems convert sun light energy into electricity.
Photovoltaic systems typically have four principal components: solar panels,
(modules), an energy storage device (battery), a charge and consumption
controller, and an inverter. Since solar panels produce direct current
(DC) and most conventional equipment operates on alternating current (AC),
the inverter is used to change the DC current to AC current. The energy
is then stored for use during overcast periods and at night. It can be
stored as chemical energy in batteries, or as potential energy in pumped
water tanks.
PSH - Peak Sun Hours
The intensity of the Sun's radiation changes with the hour of
the day, time of the year and weather conditions. To be able to make calculations
in planning a system, the total amount of solar radiation energy is expressed
in hours of full sunlight per mē, or Peak Sun Hours. This term, Peak Sun
Hours, represents the average amount of sun available per day throughout
the year.
See Glossary of Related Solar Power Terms at http://www.solar4power.com/solar-power-glossary.html
PVC - Polyvinyl Chloride
RAM - Random Access Memory
RE - Renewable Energy
Energy obtained from sources that are essentially inexhaustible (unlike, for example, the fossil fuels, of which there is a finite supply). Renewable sources of energy include wood, waste, geothermal, wind, photovoltaic, and solar thermal energy.
SME- Small and medium enterprises
Spread Spectrum
A method of transmitting a signal by "spreading" it over a broad range of frequencies (using a compatible receiver to reassemble the signal). This provides reduced interference (see "processing gain") and can increase the number of simultaneous users within a radio frequency band.
TFT - Thin Film Transistor
Thin Film Transistor LCD panel. A type of LCD flat panel display screen in which each pixel is controlled by one to four transistors. The TFT technology provides the best resolution of all the flat panel techniques, but it is also the most expensive. TFT screens are sometimes called active matrix LCDs.
UHF - Ultra high frequency
UF refers to any radio frequency in the 300- to 3,000-MHz range.
UNEP - United Nations Environmental Programme
Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) coordinates
United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries
in implementing environmentally sound policies and to encourage sustainable
development through sound environmental practices. UNEP web site: http://www.unep.org.
UPS - Uninterruptible power supply
UPS is primarily used as a back up power source for computers and computer networks to insure on-going operation in the event of a power failure. Sophisticated units also have power conditioning and power monitoring features.
USAID - United States Agency for International
Development
The United States government agency responsible for administering development
assistance around the world. USAID Web site: http://www.usaid.gov.
VCR - Video Cassette Recorder
VHF- Very High Frequency
VHF refers to any radio frequency in the 30- to 300-MHz range.
WiFi -Wireless Fidelity
Wi-Fi (or Wi-fi, WiFi, Wifi, wifi), short for "Wireless Fidelity", is
a set of standards for wireless local area networks (WLAN) currently based
on the IEEE 802.11 specifications.
WISP - Wireless internet service provider
WISP is an acronym which stands for Wireless Internet Service Provider. These can be Wi-Fi hotspots or an operator with a Wi-Fi based network infrastructure. Often they offer additional services, like location based content, Virtual Private Networking and Voice over IP.
VSAT - Very Small Aperture Terminal
Very Small Aperture Terminal. An earth station, used for the reliable
transmission of data, video, or voice via geo-stationary satellite, with
a relatively small dish-antenna (often 2.4m or 3.8m in diameter).
Glossary of Energy Terms (US Dept. of Energy)
URL: http://www.eia.doe.gov/glossary/glossary_main_page.htm
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