Renewable Energy (RE) Terms
Airfoil – The shape of the blade cross-section, and is designed to enhance the lift and improve turbine performance.
Alternating Current (AC) – Electric current in which the direction of flow is reversed at frequent intervals, usually 100 or 120 times per second (50 or 60 cycles per second or 50//60 Hz).
Anemometer – A device to measure the wind speed.
Array – Any number of photovoltaic modules connected together to provide a single electrical output at a specified voltage. Arrays are often designed to produce significant amounts of electricity.
Average wind speed – The mean wind speed over a specified period of time.
Balance of Systems (BOS) – All system components and costs other than the PV modules. It includes design costs, land, site preparation, system installation, support structures, power conditioning, operation and maintenance costs, indirect storage, and related costs.
Battery (link to Batteries) – Two or more cells electrically connected for storing electrical energy. Common usage permits this designation to be applied also to a single cell used independently, as in a flashlight battery.
Battery capacity – The total number of ampere-hours that can be withdrawn from a fully charged cell or battery.
Blades – The aerodynamic surface that catches the wind.
Charge controller (link to Charge controller) - The charge controller is the component that senses battery voltage and regulates the battery charging.
Cut-in wind speed – The wind speed at which a wind turbine begins to generate electricity.
Cut-out wind speed – The wind speed at which a wind turbine ceases to generate electricity.
Downwind – On the opposite side from the direction from which the wind blows.
Furling – A passive protection for the turbine in which the rotor folds either up or around the tail vane.
Grid – The utility distribution systems. The network that connects electricity generators to electricity users.
Inverter (link to Inverter) – A device that converts direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC).
kW – Kilowatt, a measure of power for electrical current (1000 Watts).
kWh – Kilowatt-hour, a measure of energy equal to the use of one kilowatt in one hour.
MW – Megawatt, a measure of power (1,000,000 watts).
Nacelle – The body of a propeller-type wind turbine, containing the gearbox, generator, blade hub, and other parts.
Rated output capacity – The output power of a wind machine operating at the rated wind speed.
Rated wind speed – The lowest wind speed at which the rated output of a wind turbine is produced.
Rotor – The rotating part of a wind turbine, including either the blades and blade assembly or the rotating portion of a generator.
Rotor diameter – The diameter of the circle swept by the rotor.
Rotor speed – The revolutions per minute of the wind turbine rotor.
Start-up wind speed – The wind speed at which a wind turbine rotor will begin to spin.
Swept area – The area swept by the turbine rotor.
Tower (link to Tower Types) – A component of conventional wind turbines necessary to elevate the rotor above the ground. There are several types of towers, including tilt-up, guyed lattice, and free standing.
Turbulence – The changes in wind speed and direction, frequently caused by obstacles.
Upwind – On the same side as the direction from which the wind is blowing – windward.
Yaw – The movement of the tower top tune that allows the turbine to stay into the wind.
Alternating Current (AC) – Electric current in which the direction of flow is reversed at frequent intervals, usually 100 or 120 times per second (50 or 60 cycles per second or 50//60 Hz).
Anemometer – A device to measure the wind speed.
Array – Any number of photovoltaic modules connected together to provide a single electrical output at a specified voltage. Arrays are often designed to produce significant amounts of electricity.
Average wind speed – The mean wind speed over a specified period of time.
Balance of Systems (BOS) – All system components and costs other than the PV modules. It includes design costs, land, site preparation, system installation, support structures, power conditioning, operation and maintenance costs, indirect storage, and related costs.
Battery (link to Batteries) – Two or more cells electrically connected for storing electrical energy. Common usage permits this designation to be applied also to a single cell used independently, as in a flashlight battery.
Battery capacity – The total number of ampere-hours that can be withdrawn from a fully charged cell or battery.
Blades – The aerodynamic surface that catches the wind.
Charge controller (link to Charge controller) - The charge controller is the component that senses battery voltage and regulates the battery charging.
Cut-in wind speed – The wind speed at which a wind turbine begins to generate electricity.
Cut-out wind speed – The wind speed at which a wind turbine ceases to generate electricity.
Downwind – On the opposite side from the direction from which the wind blows.
Furling – A passive protection for the turbine in which the rotor folds either up or around the tail vane.
Grid – The utility distribution systems. The network that connects electricity generators to electricity users.
Inverter (link to Inverter) – A device that converts direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC).
kW – Kilowatt, a measure of power for electrical current (1000 Watts).
kWh – Kilowatt-hour, a measure of energy equal to the use of one kilowatt in one hour.
MW – Megawatt, a measure of power (1,000,000 watts).
Nacelle – The body of a propeller-type wind turbine, containing the gearbox, generator, blade hub, and other parts.
Rated output capacity – The output power of a wind machine operating at the rated wind speed.
Rated wind speed – The lowest wind speed at which the rated output of a wind turbine is produced.
Rotor – The rotating part of a wind turbine, including either the blades and blade assembly or the rotating portion of a generator.
Rotor diameter – The diameter of the circle swept by the rotor.
Rotor speed – The revolutions per minute of the wind turbine rotor.
Start-up wind speed – The wind speed at which a wind turbine rotor will begin to spin.
Swept area – The area swept by the turbine rotor.
Tower (link to Tower Types) – A component of conventional wind turbines necessary to elevate the rotor above the ground. There are several types of towers, including tilt-up, guyed lattice, and free standing.
Turbulence – The changes in wind speed and direction, frequently caused by obstacles.
Upwind – On the same side as the direction from which the wind is blowing – windward.
Yaw – The movement of the tower top tune that allows the turbine to stay into the wind.