| AC coupling | Connection from solar panels to batteries via 230V AC, requiring conversion from DC to AC and back to DC. |
| AC isolator | A switch to turn off the AC portion of a solar system, typically located near the inverter or in the switchboard. |
| activated stand life | How long a battery can be stored within a specific temperature range before going flat, also known as shelf life or activated shelf life. |
| AGL Energy | Australia's second largest electricity retailer with over 3.7 million customers. |
| alternative energy | Sources of energy that are an alternative to fossil fuels or nuclear power, such as solar, wind, hydroelectricity, geothermal, biomass, tidal, and wave power. |
| alternating current (AC) | Type of electric current that rapidly moves back and forth, used in homes and transmission lines, either 50 or 60 times per second depending on the country. |
| ambient temperature | The temperature outside, which affects solar panel efficiency as panels love light but hate heat. |
| ampere (A) | Unit of electrical current referring to the rate of flow of electricity, with a normal Australian power point supplying 10 amperes. |
| ampere-hour (A·h or Ah) | Current of one ampere produced for one hour, used to measure lead-acid battery capacity. |
| ancillary services | Services that provide electricity grid stability, including frequency regulation, voltage regulation, and black start capability. |
| angle of incidence | The angle at which sunlight hits a surface, with 0° being head-on and 90° being a complete miss. |
| annual solar energy yield | Total energy output of a solar system in a year, measured in kilowatt-hours. |
| anode | The electrode from which lithium ions move away during discharge and towards during charging in a battery. |
| Balance of system (BOS) | All the physical parts of a solar system outside of the panels, including inverters, wiring, mounting hardware, and monitoring systems. |
| efficiency | The percentage of sunlight captured and converted into usable electricity by a solar cell or panel. |
| electrical grid | The interconnected network of equipment that delivers electricity from suppliers to consumers. |
| energy | The capacity to do work, often measured in kilowatt-hours. |
| ground-mounted solar | A solar array installed on land, primarily used for large-scale commercial and utility-scale projects. |
| hybrid systems | A mix of on-grid and off-grid solar systems that use batteries to store excess energy for later use. |
| interconnection agreement | A contract between a homeowner and utility allowing connection of a solar system to the grid, often enabling net metering credits. |
| inverter | A type of electrical converter used to convert variable direct current from solar panels into utility frequency alternating current. |
| net meter | Tracks the net energy used, which is the difference between energy consumed and generated. |
| off-grid solar system | A solar system not connected to the grid, consisting of panels, battery, charge controller, inverter, mounting structure, and balance of systems. |
| on-grid solar system | A solar system connected to the grid, allowing excess generation to be exported. |
| OPEX | Operating expenses. |
| parabolic collector trough | A system that tracks the sun by pivoting on one axis, using parabolic troughs to heat a collector fluid. |
| passive solar | Technology for using sunlight to light and heat buildings directly, with no circulating fluid or energy conversion system. |
| peak watt | The maximum amount of power produced or used. |
| photovoltaic (PV) | Technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity. |
| PV cell | A solar cell that converts light energy into electricity via the photovoltaic effect. |
| PV system | The entire solar power system including panels, inverters, wiring, etc. |
| renewable energy | Energy generated from sources that are naturally replenished, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat. |
| RMS (remote monitoring system) | Used to check the performance of a solar power plant remotely. |
| solar array | Multiple solar panels wired together to form a larger system. |
| solar cell | An electrical device that converts light energy directly into electricity. |
| solar constant | The amount of solar power flux that passes through the mean Earth orbit, currently accepted as 1366 W/m². |
| solar energy | Energy derived directly from sunlight, a renewable source. |
| solar energy technology | Methods for harnessing, storing, and using the sun's energy. |
| solar fuel technology | Methods for converting biomass into fuels and byproducts. |
| solar heat | Technology to harness the sun's energy for heating buildings, air, and water. |
| solar installer | A construction professional specially trained to install solar equipment. |
| solar irradiance | The amount of solar energy that arrives at a specific surface area during a specific time interval, typically measured in W/m². |
| solar noon | The time when the sun is at its highest elevation in the sky, which can differ from local standard time. |
| solar panel | Used to convert sunlight into electricity, consisting of multiple solar cells. |
| solar panel contractors | Construction professionals trained to install solar equipment. |
| solar power plant | A large-scale, usually ground-mounted solar array built for utility or commercial use. |
| solar radiation | The electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun. |
| solar shingles (or tiles) | Thin-film photovoltaic strips or tiles that can be applied directly to roofing. |
| solar spectrum | The electromagnetic spectral distribution emitted by the sun or received by a collector or instrument on Earth. |
| solar thermal electric | Technology for using the sun's energy to produce steam to run turbines that generate electricity. |
| SOLMET | A network of 26 measurement sites from 1952-1975 that measured global horizontal solar radiation. |
| specific humidity | The mass of water vapor per unit mass of air. |
| spectral distribution | The solar spectral distribution. |
| thin-film solar | PV technology constructed with very thin layers of material to create lightweight, often flexible sheets. |
| tracker | Mounting hardware used in power plant installations to enable solar panels to move and follow the sun throughout the day. |
| zero net energy (ZNE) | Identifies homes or buildings that generate as much energy as they consume, usually via a combination of green building techniques and a solar energy system. |
