Solar energy glossary

A form of electrical current, in which the direction of the flow of electrons changes back and forth at regular intervals. The electricity grid and most everyday household appliances use Alternating Current (AC).

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency is a commercially oriented agency, which was established with an objective to make renewable energy solutions more affordable and increase the amount of renewable energy used in Australia.

The capacity of a solar power system is commonly its output in optimal circumstances. Capacity is measured in Watts (W) or kilowatts (kW). 1kW = 1000W. Capacity can be referred to as the size of a system, e.g. 3 kW.

A kind of electrical current flowing consistently in the same direction. The current that flows in a flashlight or similar appliances, which runs on batteries, is Direct Current.

The ratio of output energy to input energy. Expressed as a percentage.

A flow of electricity.

The electrical grid is an interlocked network, delivering electricity from suppliers to customers. Generating stations within the grid produce electricity, while high-voltage transmission lines carry power from sources to request centres and delivery lines connect individual customers.

Electricity distributors own and conserve the distribution networks, including power lines and poles, plus the natural gas pipelines carrying electricity and natural gas to residential and commercial addresses.

Organisations that deliver electricity and gas to residences and businesses.

A Feed-in Tariff is an agreed amount paid to customers for any unused electricity produced by their solar power system and fed back to the electricity grid.

A measure of power. 1GW = 1,000 megawatts (MW).

A measure of electricity use over a period of time. Refers to 1,000 megawatt of electricity supplied over one hour.

An electricity generating solar PV system that is connected to the grid. It features solar panels, an inverter, a switch board and an electricity meter.

A metering arrangement where all solar electricity generated is transferred to the electricity grid via a separate meter.

A solar inverter converts DC electricity (the energy produced by solar panels) into AC electricity. This is the energy that most household appliances rely on.

A measure of power. 1 KW = 1,000 watts.

A measure of use over a period of time. Refers to 1,000 watts of electricity supplied over one hour.

The amount of electricity used by any electrical unit or appliance at any given time.

A measure of electricity use over a period of time. Refers to 1,000 kilowatt of electricity supplied over one hour.

A device that records the movement of electricity into a residential or commercial building.

Equipment such as frames, brackets and clamps used to secure PV modules to the roof or ground.

The billing arrangement with your energy retailer that governs how you will be credited for excess renewable electricity transported to the grid.

The highest demand for electricity within a particular period of time.

The time of the day when the energy received from the sun is at its peak.

Technology that creates electric currents in a certain material, by exposing it to sunlight.

A group of multiple solar panels connected together and designed to supply solar power.

AKA a solar cell – an electrical device that converts energy from light directly into electricity – via the photovoltaic effect.

AKA a photovoltaic solar system – technology that converts energy generated from sunlight into electrical energy. Residential solar PV systems can offset your household’s power needs, depending on factors such as the size of the system and your household needs. It contains solar panels, inverter and safety switches.

Power is the rate at which energy is generated or used.

An agreement in which a solar company pays for the installation and maintenance of a system for your residence or business at no upfront costs. You then purchase the power that the panels produce, at a rate that’s usually lower than what you’d pay your energy retailer. AGL’s PPA product is called Smart Plan.

Energy obtained from natural resources, which can be constantly replenished. This includes sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat.

Australia's Renewable Energy Target is a federal government policy that ensures at least 33,000 Gigawatt-hour of Australia’s electricity comes from renewable sources by 2020.

Small-scale Technology Certificates are created to provide a financial incentive to install solar water heaters, heat pumps or solar panels in your residence or business. The certificates are part of a federal government program called the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, the details of which vary from state-to-state.

A rechargeable solar battery, connecting a solar cell with battery power storage. It rations excess power so that it can be used to offset peak or night time use. Battery storage capacity is measured in KWh.

A solar power system with the addition of batteries. These are used to store surplus power, so that it can be used to offset peak or night time use.

A device that helps you estimate solar system size and cost, based on your energy usage needs and lifestyle, ensuring that you have the appropriate system for your home.

The silicon wafers used to make solar panels. In monocrystalline solar panels, the cells are shaped like a diamond. In polycrystalline solar panels, the cells are rectangular shaped.

Solar energy is created from sunlight.

A solar monitoring solution uses real-time monitoring of solar generation and home consumption, providing automatic fault and diagnosis alerts, in case of issues. Being able to identify and rectify issues quickly can result in an increase in system performance and potential savings.

Also referred to as the solar system or solar power system, it is a unit consisting of solar photovoltaic materials, which turn sunlight into electricity. The system usually sits on the roof of a residence or business.

By placing the solar panel system on a building site in a particular direction you can maximise the amount of sunlight it is exposed to. Ideal orientation for Australia is north.

This is the angle or tilt that the panels are facing towards the sky. On a flat roof, the tilt is 0°. If facing a wall, the tilt is 90°. Flat or 90° is not ideal, the recommended angle is 20-35°.

This is power generated by the sun, through either photovoltaic technology or secondarily using concentrated solar power. Photovoltaics use the photovoltaic effect to adapt light into an electric current, while concentrated solar power systems use lenses, as well as tracking systems to emphasise a large area of sunlight into a concentrated beam.

Storage refers to storing excess electricity produced by a system. Solar batteries are generally used as storage devices.