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“Speak the Lingo like a Pro”
Stay informed with our list of terms that are commonly used in the energy sector.
We’ll be continually adding to these; feel free to make suggestions here!
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| AC (alternating current) | electrical current where the flow of charge periodically reverses direction |
| array | a series of solar panels or PV modules that together supply solar electricity |
| batteries | rechargeable batteries are made up of electrochemical cells that are capable of storing and discharging power through reversible electrochemical reactions |
| “behind-the-meter” | energy system components that sit behind the “gate” to the main electricity grid system, generally relating to private or commercially-owned solar systems, or supply management technology |
| DC (direct current) | unidirectional (constant direction) flow of electric charge |
| efficiency, solar | a measure of the proportion of solar energy that can be converted to electricity |
| electricity | a fuel source of energy, defined by the motion or flow of electrically-charged matter |
| energy | measure of fuel either contained in an object or needed to perform work on (or heat) an object |
| generators | produces electricity by burning or converting fuel or energy |
| grid | interconnected electricity network, where producers supply electricity to consumers |
| GW (or GWh) | gigawatt, unit of power equal to 1×109 Watts, or 1 thousand megawatts (GWh = unit of energy, used in large-scale use or generation) |
| “in-front-of-the-meter” | energy system components that sit in front of the “gate”, that are part of the grid system operated by the grid provider, including generator plants, transmission, and distribution systems |
| inverter (solar, PV) | electrically converts DC output from solar panels to a usable AC form |
| kW | kilowatt, unit of power equal to 1×10³ Watts, or 1 thousand Watts |
| kWh | kilowatt-hour, unit of energy equivalent to 3 600 kilojoules (3.6 megajoules) sustained for 1 hour, often used in residential and commercial electricity billing |
| monitoring | method of observing and recording power usage and/or production in an energy system |
| MW (or MWh) | megawatt, unit of power equal to 1×106 Watts, or 1 million Watts (MWh = unit of energy, commonly used in industrial use or generation) |
| off-grid | energy system independent from, or not connected to, the state or territory electricity grid |
| panel | photovoltaic (PV) module; a series of PV cells mounted in a frame that convert solar energy to electricity |
| power | energy or work per unit of time |
| PV (photovoltaic) | converts light energy (solar photons) to electricity using semiconducting materials |
| semiconducting material | materials used in solar PV cells to absorb sunlight; general types include crystalline silicon, thin film, and multi-junction cells |
| transformer | passive device that allows AC voltage to be increased (“step up”) or decreased (“step down”) |
| voltage | electrical potential difference: high voltage allows power to be transmitted more efficiently over distances (less energy lost as heat), but with increased safety risk |
| voltage management | method of reducing or limiting incoming voltage supply to an optimal level for the behind-the-meter system; this increases energy efficiency by reducing energy loss during usage by equipment |
| Watt | SI unit of power, equal to 1 joule per second |
For more information about renewable energy systems, the status of energy in the NT, and more, check out our information section.