20 Terms
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Solar power
Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics convert light into electric current using the photoelectric effect.
Industry: Energy
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Solar power
work function
Energy; Solar power
The energy difference between the Fermi level and vacuum zero. The minimum amount of energy it takes to remove an electron from a substance into the vacuum.
zenith angle
Energy; Solar power
The angle between the direction of interest (of the sun, for example) and the zenith (directly overhead).
grid-connected system
Energy; Solar power
A solar electric or photovoltaic (PV) system in which the PV array acts like a central generating plant, supplying power to the grid.
grid lines
Energy; Solar power
Metallic contacts fused to the surface of the solar cell to provide a low resistance path for electrons to flow out to the cell interconnect wires.
harmonic content
Energy; Solar power
The number of frequencies in the output waveform in addition to the primary frequency (50 or 60 Hz.). Energy in these harmonic frequencies is lost and may cause excessive heating of the load.
