Distributed Renewable Energy Operating Impacts and Valuation Study

APPENDIX A — GLOSSARY AND ABBREVIATIONS
Glossary of Terms
balance-of-system:
distributed energy:
energy factor:
greenfield solar
project:
photovoltaic:
The remainder of the photovoltaic system, aside from the
photovoltaic modules.
Generation of electricity from many small energy sources,
typically located near where it is used, perhaps even in the
same building. Reduces the amount of power that needs to be
generated in large centralized facilities, and reduces the size
and number of power lines that must be constructed.
A measure of a water heater’s overall energy efficiency based
on the amount of hot water produced per unit of fuel consumed
over a typical day.
A solar project which is not constrained by prior work. It is
constructed on unused land where there is no need to remodel
or demolish an existing structure.
Using solar cells to convert sunlight directly into electricity.
power density: Ratio of kW AC /kW DC .
solar energy factor
(SEF):
solar fraction:
Solar Heat Gain
Coefficient
(SHGC):
The energy delivered by the system divided by the electrical or
gas energy put into the system.
The fraction of a building’s water heating energy demand met
by the SWH system.
The fraction of the heat from the sun that enters through a
window; expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a
window’s SHGC, the less solar heat it transmits.
Arizona Public Service | Distributed Renewable Energy Operating Impacts & Valuation Study
004137/02-01766-01000