AC
Alternating Current, the type of electricity used in businesses and households.
Array
A group of solar panels, wired together as one generating unit.
Controller
The “brains” of the solar tracker, controls tracker movement according to the time of day, the day of the year and the GPS coordinates of the tracker.
CPG
Certificate of Public Good - A permit issued by the Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) that is necessary to install a grid-connected, renewable energy system in Vermont.
DC
Direct Current - The type of electricity generated by renewable energy systems and fed into the inverter.
Dual Axis
Able to move both side to side and up and down - A dual axis tracker turns from east to west and changes its vertical axis so the panels always follow the sun’s changing elevation in the sky, capturing the most possible sunlight.
Electric Grid
A network of cables that transmits electric energy from power producers to consumers, a regional electric distribution network
Electric Panel
The entry point for power going into the household. Also known as a breaker box, it houses a group of circuit breaker switches that control the flow of power to different appliances.
Electron
A negatively charged particle that orbits the nucleus of an atom.
GPS
Global Positioning System, uses satellite signals to triangulate a precise location on the globe.
Group Net Metering
The term that describes two or more homeowners or businesses in the same utility area that choose to share the electricity generated from a single renewable energy generation site.
Hydraulic System
A motor, pump, and hoses that use liquid pressure to create movement.
Inverter
A device that converts DC power, as generated by solar panels, to AC power for household consumption.
Kilowatt
A unit of electric power equal to one thousand watts.
Kilowatt-hour
A unit of electric consumption equal to the use of one thousand watts over the period of an hour.
Megawatt
A unit of electric power equal to one million watts.
Nacelle
An enclosure at the top of a wind turbine which contains a drive train and generator, where rotational energy is converted to electrical energy.
Net Metering
Net metering is a special metering and billing agreement between utilities and their customers who generate renewable energy in which, you only pay for the “net” amount of electricity your home or business uses for that billing period.
Power Purchase Agreement – (PPA)
A legal contract between an electricity generator (provider) and a power purchaser. The provider installs the renewable system and the power purchaser pays for energy from the electricity generator at a fixed fee per kWh for a specific period of time.
Photovoltaic (PV)
Creating electricity from light or radiant energy.
Renewable Energy Credit (REC)
The value of the environmental attributes of the clean energy that a renewable energy generation system will produce. These credits have an established value in an actively traded market for each state.
Solar Tracker
A solar photovoltaic array that is designed to follow the movement of the sun throughout the day.
Silicon
A non-metallic element occurring in the earth’s crust.
Single Axis
Moves in only one direction, side to side - A single axis tracker follows the sun from east to west but does not move automatically up and down. The solar panels are at a fixed angle that either does not change or must be changed manually.
Smart Grid
A smart grid includes an intelligent monitoring system that keeps track of all electricity flowing in the system. It has the ability to integrate renewable electricity such as solar and wind power.
Solar Cell
A thin wafer of silicon able to convert sunlight into electricity.
Energy