NEMA Energy Solutions Glossary

Energy Solutions

Glossary

A B C D E F G H I K L M P R S T V W

Actual load	The hour average load of equipment at any period of time.
Automatic adjustment clause	Allows utilities to increase or decrease its rates to cover costs of specific items without a formal hearing before a utilities commission.
Ballast	An auxiliary device used with an electrical discharge lamp(s) to obtain the necessary circuit conditions (voltage, current, and wave form) for the proper starting and operation of a particular fluorescent lamp(s) from a particular line voltage and frequency.
Ballast factor	The percentage of light output produced when a fluorescent lamp(s) is energized from a commercially available ballast as compared to the light output produced when energized from a reference ballast. Ballast factor tests are run in accordance with ANSI C82.2.
Base load	The minimum quantity of electric power or gas delivered over a given period of time; also known as the minimum demand on the system. Does not include peak usage.
Bioenergy	The US Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN) describes bioenergy as energy resulting from use of renewable biomass resources such as wood and animal wastes. More>>
Biomass	The US Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN) describes biomass as "...any plant-derived organic matter available on a renewable basis, including dedicated energy crops and trees, agricultural food and feed crops, agricultural crop wastes and residues, wood wastes and residues, aquatic plants, animal wastes, municipal wastes, and other waste materials." More>>
British thermal unit (BTU)	The standard unit for measuring quantity of heat energy. The amount of heat energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.
Brownout	Sporadic power outages and/or voltage fluctuations resulting from intermittent or curtailed power supply.
Building Automation systems	A programmed computer that controls electrified equipment within a facility. See also: NEMA Industrial Automation Control Products and Systems.
Candela (cd)	A unit of luminous intensity (strength) from a light source or lighting system.
Capacity	The ability of a power plant to produce a given output of electric energy at an instant in time. Electric capacity is measured in kilowatts, megawatts, or gigawatts.
Cogeneration	Electric and thermal energy produced simultaneously from a common fuel source. The energy produced at a cogeneration facility can be used to meet its own electrical needs or may be sold to an electric utility.
Compact fluorescent	A small fluorescent lamp that may be used in place of lesser-efficient incandescent lamps. The lamp life is significantly longer than incandescent lamps. See also: NEMA Lighting Division.
Conservation	Reducing energy consumption and energy waste via one or more of these strategies: Attaining higher efficiency in energy production and utilization, Accommodating behavior to maximize personal welfare in response to changing prices, and Shifting from scarce to more plentiful energy resources. See also: energy efficiency. More>>
Demand-side management	Achieving energy use reductions through conservation rather than changing or controlling the supply of the energy source.
Distributed Generation (DG)	Refers to small-scale stationary applications of electric generating technologies. Distributed power units may be owned by electric or gas utilities, by industrial, commercial, institutional or residential energy consumers, or by independent energy producers. They include generating technologies such as diesel engines, fuel cells, small and "micro" gas turbines, solar PV, and wind turbines, and may be combined with electric storage technologies such as batteries and flywheels. Definition courtesy of: The California Energy Commission. More>>
Distribution	Delivery of electricity from the transmission system to the end-user. Distribution of electricity is regulated by state governments.
Efficiency	See energy efficiency.
Electronic ballast	A ballast which uses semi-conductor components to increase the frequency of fluorescent lamp operation. Fluorescent system efficiency is increased due to the higher frequency. See also: NEMA Lighting Division.
EMS	Energy Management System. See Building Automation systems.
Energy	Energy is the capacity for doing work as measured by the capability of doing work (potential energy) or the conversion of this capability to motion (kinetic energy). Energy has several forms, some of which are easily convertible and can be changed to another form useful for work. The output of electricity-generating plants measured in kilowatthours.
Energy efficiency	Efficiency means getting the same or better service while using fewer resources. See related term: conservation.
EPACT	Energy Policy Act of 1992. Click here to see the full text of the Act.
FERC	The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, established in 1977, regulates the sale, transportation, and price of natural gas and wholesale electric power transmitted via interstate commerce.
Fluorescent lamp	A low pressure mercury electric-discharge lamp in which a fluorescing coating (phosphor) transforms a portion of the ultraviolet energy generated by the arc discharge into visible light.
Footcandle	The unit of illuminance at a point one foot distance from a one candela source.
Fuel cell	A fuel cell can be defined as an electrochemical energy conversion device converting hydrogen and oxygen into electricity and heat. The fuel cell provides a direct current voltage that can be used to power various electrical devices including motors and lights. More>>
Geothermal	Renewable energy (heat) generated by the earth, such as geysers, molten rock and steam spouts. More >>
Gigawatt (GW)	A unit of electric power equal to one billion watts, or one thousand megawatts.
Greenhouse effect	Solar radiation is absorbed by the earth, converted to heat, and trapped near the earth's surface.
Greenhouse gases	Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrocarbons, and chlorofluorocarbons. More>>
HID	High intensity discharge. A type of lamp that may consist of mercury vapor, metal halide, high pressure sodium, or low pressure sodium. See also: NEMA Lighting Division.
Hydropower	Energy created by capturing flowing water, such as by a dam or river. One common type of hydropower involves using a dam to capture water, which is then stored in a reservoir. When released from the reservoir, water flows through and spins a turbine, creating electricity.
Illuminance (E)	The quantity of light at one point on a surface. Illuminance equals Lumen/square foot.
Integrated resource planning (IRP)	A process used by electric utilities to plan for future resource needs. Key components include long-term forecasts of power needs; a comprehensive evaluation of supply- and demand-side resource options; and public review.
Kilowatt (kW)	One thousand volts. Measures electric capacity or load.
Kilowatthour (kWH)	One thousand watts of consumption for one hour. Electric bills are measured in kilowatthours.
Light-loss factor	The product of all considered items that contribute to a lighting system's depreciated light output over a period of time.
Load	The amount of electric power or gas delivered at any specified point or points on a system.
Load factor	The ratio of average-to-peak day use calculated over a specific period of time, such as a day, month, or year.
Load management	Techniques used by utilities to reduce daily and/or seasonal fluctuations in customer demand.
Lumen	A lumen is a unit of measurement of the total light output from a specific source. One lumen is the amount of light emitted in a solid angle of 1 sr, from a source that radiates to an equal extent in all directions, and whose intensity is 1 candela.
Luminaire	A complete lighting unit consisting of a lamp or lamps and ballast(s) together with the parts designed to distribute the light, to position and protect the lamps, and to connect the lamps through the ballast(s) to the power supply. See also: NEMA Lighting Division, Luminaire section.
Luminaire efficacy	A mathematical method of determining the rated efficacy of a luminaire. Click to view NEMA Procedures for determining luminaire efficacy ratings (LER): Non-residential downlight luminaires Fluorescent luminaires High-intensity discharge luminaires
Luminaire efficiency	The ratio of total lumen output of a luminaire and the lumen output of the lamps, expressed as a percentage.
Megawatt (MW)	A unit of electric power equal to one million watts, or one thousand kilowatts.
Metering	Collection of energy or water consumption data over a period of time. See also: NEMA Power Equipment Division, Electrical Measuring Equipment section.
Peak day	The day of highest customer demand for electricity during a year.
Peak demand	The maximum level of operating requirements customer usage places on the system during a specified time.
Peak load	The maximum amount of power delivered (load) for a given time period.
Peak shaving	Techniques used by electric utilities to lower the peak demand on the system.
PUC	Public Utility Commission. An administrative body that regulates public utilities at the state or municipal level. View list of state commissions.
Renewable energy	Energy sources that are derived from the sun or other natural processes and which can be naturally replenished. These include: Bioenergy Hydrogen Ocean Wind Geothermal Hydropower Solar More>>
Supply-side management	Steps utilities take to manage their generating and transmission facilities for maximum efficiency.
T & D	The Transmission and Distribution of electric power.
Therm	One hundred thousand British thermal units.
Transmission	The movement of large quantities of electric energy.
Variable loads	Power-consuming equipment that requires different energy needs over time.
Volt (v)	The unit of electric potential or electromotive force. In other words, voltage measures the relative power of an electrical power source. A 220-Volt electric line delivers twice the power of a 110-Volt line.
Watt (W)	The unit for measuring electric power. The rate of energy consumption by an electrical device when it is in operation.

Additional Information

Conservation	The Center for Excellence for Sustainable Development provides an overview of air, water, and materials conservation and efficiency. The DOE lists federal environmental laws in its Office of Environmental Policy and Guidance center.
Distributed Generation	Electric Power Research Institute. Over 500 items related to DG appear on their website. Distributed Power Coalition of America. An advocacy organization for the use of distributed power. Website offers news, DG technologies overview, and more. Website discusses DG technologies, applications, markets, regulations, stakeholders, and more. Sponsored by the Resource Dynamics Corporation. Arthur D. Little�s DG center. Provides news on regulatory and business issues.
Renewable energy	Research and development by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Abstract of Technologies for Generating Electricity from Renewable Energy Sources from the University of Massachusetts. Green-e�s site provides definitions of the types of renewable energy sources. Dr. E�s Energy Lab uses child-friendly definitions for renewable energy.