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Solar can be very intimidating, especially if you don't know the terminology. Don't worry: while solar comes with a unique dialect, it's not hard to decipher once you understand. To help you start building a solar vocabulary, we've put together a few of the most important terms for beginners.
Terms:
Watt (W) = Named after James Watt (1736-1819). It is the unit of power for electricity. Power has no time value.
Kilowatt (kW) = 1,000W. A kW is the unit of power for which utilities measure residential, commercial, and utility grid loads. A kilowatt has no time value.
Kilowatt Hour (kWh) = How much power is used over a period of time. This is how electricity consumption is measured and billed from the utility company to the consumer.
Example: A 60” LED TV has a rated power consumption of 200W. If that TV is on for 1 hour it consumes 200Wh OR 0.20kWh. If that TV is on for 5 hours, then it uses 1kWh of electricity.
Example: A building that uses 1,000kWh per month is a different conversation than 1,000kW per month. The “h” is very important when discussing electricity consumption and using it when you are discussing power. Not using it when discussing electricity can be very confusing.
Solar Terms:
Solar PV Panel = A rectangular panel.
Solar Cell = the electricity producing components that are arranged in the Solar PV Panel.
Nameplate Power = the rated power of a Solar PV Panel.
Example: Label on back of Solar PV Panel = 380W.
DC Power/Electricity = Direct Current. This is the Power/Electricity that a Solar PV Panel produces.
AC Power/Electricity = Alternating Current. This is the Power/Electricity that a building consumes.
Inverter = Converts DC to AC.
Module Efficiency = How many Watts are in a square meter. Efficiency has nothing to do with Power. Power does not care about square meters (m2).
Example: 380W in 1.7m2 and 380W in 2.2m2 is still 380W. Similar to 1 pound of feathers and 1 pound of hammers; they weigh the same.
