Glossary

Change in the salinity between bodies of water

Emission control device that adds alkaline reagents to react and neutralize acidic gases.

See PV Secondary Market

Market for trading pre-owned solar panels

These are objects that impair the solar irradiance on a solar panel, therefore reducing the yield of a solar plant.

Semiconductor material made from silica, which is purified for photovoltaic applications.

Extremely pure form of crystalline silicon. This is produced from the Czochralski method in which a single crystal is dipped into a pool of molten silicon under high vacuum condition. Then a solidifying single crystal boule rod of silicon is withdrawn, which is sawed into thin wafers and further fabricated into single-crystal photovoltaic cells

Air pollution that contains oxidants

Electrical cell that changes radiant energy into electrical energy

Device that receives radiation that has been collected by motorized trackers. The radiation is focused at a focal point on the dish

Electricity that has been generated by a PV plant

Radiant energy of the sun

Economic sector that deals with photovoltaics

See Photovoltaic Market

These are ground mounted PV systems that have been constructed on a green field (open space). Solar parks generally cover 3 hectares.

Ponds of stratified water that collect and retain heat

See Solar Energy

Method of producing electrical energy from solar rays. A large number of solar rays are focused on a single source, which is typically on an elevated tower for higher temperatures.

See Photovoltaic System

Device that receives solar radiation and converts it into thermal energy. The heat collected may be used right away or stored

Solar irradiance is converted to thermal energy.

Acronym for Special Purpose Vehicle; See Operating Company

Water that is in vapor form.

Boiler in which fuel is burned on a grate with the fuel supplied and ash removed continuously.

Financial impairment; This is when the price of a plant output falls to a level where the owner can no longer earn a sufficient return on investment

State assistance paid to sectors or businesses. In the solar industry, it usually means feed-in-tariffs.

Part of a Wind Turbine that is made up of the foundation and tower

Monitoring and verification of products, procedures and services in order to ensure that requirements are met

Maximum wind speed that a construction can withstand

The use of regenerative systems such as power generations

Projected area perpendicular to the wind direction that a rotor will describe in one full rotation

Device that allows for the stop and flow of electricity