Home Solar Power System Terminology & Descriptions

This page contains common terms, descriptions and definitions used in the solar power industry throughout the world. Examples of solar terms found below include the  definition of what solar power actually is and the definition of how a solar panel works.

• Amorphous Solar Cells
• Amorphous solar cells are of a non crystalline structure and are blue in colourisation. They are flexible and their wiring gives them better performance in shaded conditions. To achieve the desired output with Amorphous solar cells the panel has to be much larger than the other panels. The panels are normally wired in a  parallel configuration.

•  Balance-of-Systems (BOS) components 
• All the components in a power system other than the photovoltaic array. 

• Battery
• Two or more electrochemical cells connected to provide energy storage. 

• Blocking Diode
• A diode preventing reverse current flow in a circuit,usually to prevent a battery from discharging through the Solar Array at night.
  
  

•  Charge controller
• The Photovoltaic system component which controls the battery's charge state. Sometimes provides other system control functions also.
  

• Charge Rate
• The current applied to a battery to restore its energy capacity. The rate is typically normalized with respect to the battery's full capacity and a designated time period. Thus, the current necessary to nominally charge a 100-ampere-hour battery from zero to full charge in five hours (20 amperes) is referred to as the battery's C/5 rate. The term is also applied to discharge The current applied to a battery to restore its energy capacity. The rate is typically normalized with respect to the battery's full capacity and a designated time period. Thus, the current necessary to nominally charge a 100-ampere-hour battery from zero to full charge in five hours (20 amperes) is referred to as the battery's C/5 rate. The term is also applied to discharge rate.

• Concentrator array
• A photovoltaic (PV) array using lenses, reflectors etc to intensify and concentrate the solar energy striking any given area of Solar Panel. May reduce the need for a larger panel. 

• DC Current(direct current)
• Electrical Current from a Solar Cell or storage battery that flows in one direction through electrical wires.

• Monocrystalline Solar cells
• Monocrystalline solar cells appear black in colour .They have a rigid construction but do not fill the entire panel area. They therefore need to be aimed correctly at the sun to pick up light effectively but are durable in construction.This type of solar cell performs slightly worse than polycrystalline cells in excessive heat.

• Polycrystalline Solar Cells
• Polycrystalline solar cells are a blue coloured solar panel, with the individual crystals being visible from many angles. The cells are cut to a square shape which gives the best power production for a given solar panel size. Direction is not as critical with Polycrystalline solar cells as the cells are picking up the light from many different angles. They work slightly more efficiently in low light, and they are also very durable in construction. They also perform well in high temperatures environments and situations. 

• Photovoltaic cells
• Another name for a Solar cell.Photo=light.Voltaic=electricity.

• Solar Energy
• radiant energy emitted by the sun.

• Solar Panel
• a panel designed to absorb the sun’s rays as a source of energy for generating electricity or heating.

• Solar Power
• power obtained by harnessing the energy of the sun’s rays

• Solar System
• the sun together with the planets, asteroids, comets, etc. in orbit around it

• Sun Tracker
• Tracking system where the Solar Panels automatically adjust their position to best capture the solar energy at any time of day. Two Axis Tracking follows the suns elevation and azimuth in the sky so is superior.            

• Grid-tied photovoltaic systems
• Grid-tied photovoltaic systems, also known as on-grid, grid-connected and grid-Intertied Solar Electric Systems, generate electricity for your home or business and route the excess into the electric utility grid.

• Inverter
• A basic component of photovoltaic systems.Inverters convert DC power from either storage batteries ,or in the case of grid-tie,directly from the PV array,into high voltage AC power as required

• Photovoltaic array
• Collection of Photovoltaic modules linked together

• Photovoltaic modules
• Interconnected assembly of Photovoltaic cells packaged together

• Photovoltaic Effect
• The basic physical process which a Solar cell converts sunlight into electricity.Sunlight is composed of photons(packets of solar energy).When photons strike a Photovoltaic cell some are absorbed producing electricity.The photons energy is transfered to an electron in an atom of the solar cell.The electron can now escape the atom and flow as current in an electrical circuit.