So ok not everyone knows about electronics and solar power so here’s a few pointers to what things mean :
Alternating Current (AC) – An electric current that reverses direction periodically
Amorphous Semiconductor – A non-crystalline semiconductor material that has no long range order
Amorphous Silicon – A thin film Solar PV silicon cell with no crystalline structure that is manufactured by depositing layers of doped silicon on a substrate
Angle of Incidence – The angle at which the light rays strike the earth’s surface
Anti-Reflection Coating – A thin coating of a material that is applied to a Solar PV surface to reduce the light reflection and increases light absorption
Array – A number of Solar PV modules connected together electrically, to provide a single electrical output. (Also Solar PV panels)
Azimuth – The horizontal angle measured from true north, in a clockwise direction
Blocking Diode – A diode used to prevent current from flowing towards a failed Solar PV module or from a battery to the Solar PV array during periods of darkness or low current production
Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) – A term for the design and integration of Solar PV devices into the envelope of a building, typically by replacing conventional building materials
Bypass Diode – A diode connected in parallel with a Solar PV module to provided an alternative current path (by-pass) in case of module shading or failure
Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) – A thin film Solar PV technology used in the production of Solar PV modules
Cell – A Solar PV cell (also called photovoltaic cell) is a solid state device that converts the energy of sunlight directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect
Charge Controller – A device in a Solar PV system that controls the charging rate and/or state of charge for batteries
CIS (or CIGS) – Copper Indium Gallium Selenide – A thin film Solar PV technology used in the production of Solar PV modules
Crystalline Silicon – the most prevalent bulk material for Solar PV cells (monocrystalline and polycrystalline)
Clean Energy Cashback – The name of the UK Government Feed in Tariff’s scheme
Converter – A device used in Solar PV systems to convert electrical direct current (DC) voltage to another DC voltage
Diffuse Radiation – Radiation received from the sun after reflection and scattering by the atmosphere and ground
Diode – Electronic component that allows current flow in one direction only (Also Blocking Diode and By-Pass Diode)
Direct Beam Radiation – Radiation received by direct solar rays
Direct Current (DC) – Electric current flowing in only one direction
Efficiency – The ratio of output power (or energy) to input power (or energy) expressed as a percentage
Electricity Grid – An electricity distribution network (Also Grid)
Feed in Tariffs – Feed in tariffs is a government sponsored incentive scheme designed to encourage the introduction of renewable energy sources
Fixed Tilt Array – A Solar PV array set in a fixed angle with respect to the horizontal
Flat Plate Array – A PV array that consists of non-concentrating Solar PV modules
Flexible Thin Film Solar – Flexible thin film cells and modules are created by depositing the photoactive layer and other necessary layers on a flexible background material
Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) – A compound of the elements gallium and arsenic. A highly efficient crystalline semiconductor used in Solar PV modules
Grid – A transmission line electricity distribution network (Also Electricity Grid)
Grid Connected System – A Solar PV system in which the array acts like a central generating plant, supplying power to the electricity grid. (Also Grid-Tie System and On-Grid)
Hybrid System – A Solar PV system that includes other sources of electricity generation, such as wind turbines, small hydro or diesel generators
Insolation – The solar radiation incident on an area over time. Equivalent to energy and usually expressed in kilowatt-hours per square metre
Inverter – In a Solar PV system an inverter converts Direct Current (DC) to alternating Current (AC)
Irradiance – The solar power incident on a surface. Irradiance is usually expressed in kilowatts per square metre. Irradiance multiplied by time equals insolation
I-V Curve – The plot of current versus voltage characteristics of a Solar PV cell, module or array. Three important points on the I-V curve are the opening-circuit voltage, short-circuit current and peak power operating point
Kilowatt (kW) – A unit of power equal to one thousand Watts
Load – Is the amount of electric power used by an electrical appliance at any given time
Maximum Power Point or Peak Power Point – That point on an I-V curve that represents the largest area rectangle that can be drawn under the curve. Operating a Solar PV array at that voltage will produce maximum power
Module – The smallest replaceable unit in a Solar PV array. An integral, encapsulated unit containing a number of Solar PV cells. (Also Solar Modules and Solar PV modules)
Monocrystalline Silicon –Single crystal wafer cells cut from cylindrical ingots. Produced made using the Czochralski process
N-Type Silicon – A Solar PV silicon material that has been doped with a material that has more electrons in its atomic structure than does silicon.
Orientation – Placement with respect to the cardinal directions, North, South, East and West. Azimuth is the measure of orientation from the North
Panel – A number of Solar PV cells combined together in a single unit (Also Solar Panel and Solar PV Panel)
Peak Load – The maximum load demand on a Solar PV system
Photovoltaic Cell – The treated semiconductor material that converts solar irradiance to electricity
Photovoltaic System – An installation of Solar PV modules and other components designed to produce power from sunlight and meet the power demand for a designated load.
Polycrystalline Silicon – A material used to make Solar PV cells which are made from large blocks of molten silicon carefully cooled and solidified. (Also Multicrystalline silicon)
Pyranometer – An instrument used for measuring global solar irradiance
Pyrheliometer – An instrument used for measuring direct beam solar irradiance. It uses an aperture of 5.7 degrees to transcribe the solar disc
Semiconductor – A material that has limited capacity for conducting electricity. The silicon used to make Solar PV cells is a semiconductor
Silicon (Si) – The most common semiconductor material used in Solar PV devices
Single Crystal Silicon – Solar PV material with a single crystalline formation
Solar Cell – A Solar PV cell (also called photovoltaic cell) is a solid state device that converts the energy of sunlight directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect
Solar Module – The smallest non divisible unit in a Solar PV Array (Also Solar PV Panel, Photovoltaic Module)
Stand Alone System – A Solar PV system that operates independently of the utility grid
Standard Test Conditions – Conditions under which a Solar PV module is typically tested in a laboratory
String – A number of Solar PV modules or Solar PV panels interconnected electrically in series to produce the operating voltage required by the load. (Also Solar Array)
System Operating Voltage – The voltage output of a Solar PV array under load. The system operating voltage is dependent on the load of batteries connected to the output terminals
Tilt Angle – The angle of inclination of a Solar PV collector measured from the horizontal
Thin Film Solar PV – A Solar PV cell that is made by depositing one or more thin layers (thin film) of Solar PV material on a substrate. The thickness range of such a layer is wide and varies from a few nanometres to tens of micrometers
Tracking Array – A Solar PV array that is mounted on a moveable structure that follows the path of the sun in order to maximise the array output
Triple Junction – Three extremely thin single junction cells, with different bandgaps, stacked on top of one another
Utility Interactive Inverter – An inverter that can function only when tied to the utility grid, and uses the prevailing line-voltage frequency on the utility line as a control parameter to ensure that the PV systems output is fully synchronised with the utility power
Wafer – A thin sheet of semiconductor material produced by mechanically slicing it from a single crystal or multicrystal ingot or casting
Zenith Angle – The angle between directly overhead and the line intersecting the sun. (90 degrees – zenith) is the elevation angle of the sun above the horizon