Glossary
Energy and infrastructure, explained
Clear definitions, practical examples and technical distinctions across solar, power, construction and technology. Start with a term or explore a division.
50 terms
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Renewable energy
Solar design, battery storage, EV charging and system performance.
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AC-coupled vs DC-coupled battery
Compare AC- and DC-coupled battery systems, including conversion paths, retrofit compatibility, inverter limits and the separate requirements for backup.
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Battery energy storage system
Understand BESS components, battery power and capacity, backup limits, and what to assess before adding storage to a home or commercial solar system.
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Battery management system
Understand BMS functions, state-of-charge estimates and equipment coordination, with practical questions about battery and inverter compatibility.
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Battery round-trip efficiency
Calculate battery round-trip efficiency and learn why AC/DC boundaries, state of charge, auxiliaries and operating conditions change the comparison.
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DC to AC ratio
Learn how solar DC-to-AC ratio is calculated, why clipping can occur, and which equipment limits and energy assumptions must be reviewed separately.
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Depth of discharge
Learn how battery depth of discharge relates to state of charge, cycle depth and reserve, and why the capacity reference matters when comparing systems.
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EV charging load management
Understand static and dynamic EV load management, charging allocations, failure behavior and the site information needed to evaluate electrical capacity.
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Load shifting
Learn how load shifting changes when electricity is used, how it differs from peak shaving, and why operational flexibility and tariff assumptions matter.
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Microgrid
Learn what defines a microgrid, how resources and loads are coordinated, and why resilience depends on operating priorities, controls and system design.
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Peak shaving
Learn how peak shaving controls grid demand, why battery power and duration matter, and which tariff and load data a business needs to assess savings.
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Point of interconnection
Learn what a point of interconnection defines, how it can differ from metering and ownership boundaries, and why those interfaces matter for solar projects.
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Solar capacity factor
Calculate solar capacity factor, compare AC and DC denominators, and understand why weather, output boundaries and time periods affect the result.
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Solar carport
Understand solar carports, how parking and structural constraints affect design, and what to consider when combining a canopy with EV charging.
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Solar commissioning
Learn what solar commissioning verifies, how it differs from inspection and utility approval, and which records owners need before accepting a system.
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Solar EPC
Learn what solar EPC includes, how design and construction responsibilities are divided, and what developers should clarify before comparing proposals.
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Solar feasibility study
See what a solar feasibility study should evaluate, from site and generation assumptions to connection risks, electricity use and the investment decision.
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Solar interconnection study
Understand what solar interconnection studies evaluate, why capacity and operating assumptions matter, and which approvals remain separate from the study.
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Solar performance ratio
Understand solar performance ratio, calculate an illustrative PR, and learn why irradiation data, measurement boundaries and reporting methods matter.
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Solar power purchase agreement
Learn how an on-site solar PPA works, how it differs from ownership or leasing, and which pricing, property and environmental-attribute terms to review.
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String inverter vs microinverter
Compare solar inverter layouts, shading behavior, monitoring, maintenance and storage compatibility before choosing a complete system for your roof.
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Power infrastructure
Substations, electrical studies, protection and distribution equipment.
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Electrical load calculation
Learn what an electrical load calculation establishes, why breaker totals are misleading, and how proposed equipment affects service and feeder planning.
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Electrical service upgrade
Learn what an electrical service upgrade can involve, how it differs from panel replacement, and why load assessment and utility coordination come first.
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Electrical substation
Understand what electrical substations do, how their components work together, and what owners should establish before a new installation or upgrade.
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Grounding and bonding
Understand grounding, bonding and fault-current paths, why a ground rod alone is insufficient, and what owners should document during electrical changes.
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Load flow study
Learn what load flow studies model, which data and operating cases they need, and how their results differ from load calculations and fault studies.
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Medium-voltage switchgear
Learn what medium-voltage switchgear does, how ratings and protection fit together, and which interfaces to resolve before equipment procurement.
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Protection coordination study
Understand how protection coordination studies evaluate device response, which system data they need, and why settings require separate verification.
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Short-circuit study
Learn what short-circuit studies calculate, which inputs influence fault current, and how equipment-duty results connect to protection and design decisions.
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Substation commissioning
Understand equipment and integrated testing, document control, energization readiness and handover responsibilities in a substation commissioning scope.
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Transformer kVA sizing
Understand transformer kVA, single- and three-phase relationships, and the load, environmental and protection factors a complete sizing decision requires.
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Construction & roofing
Roof assessment, building materials and project delivery.
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Commercial roof inspection
Learn what commercial roof inspections can reveal, what visual checks cannot establish, and which report details help owners plan repairs and maintenance.
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Design-build vs design-bid-build
Compare construction delivery methods, contractual responsibilities, scope maturity and owner decisions before choosing an approach for your project.
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Occupied building renovation
Learn how occupied renovations coordinate work zones, utilities, access, air quality and handback so the construction plan reflects building operations.
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Preconstruction services
Understand preconstruction deliverables, estimate assumptions, procurement dependencies and the owner decisions needed before major construction begins.
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Roof moisture survey
Understand what roof moisture surveys investigate, how thermal and leak-detection methods differ, and what evidence supports restoration or replacement.
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Roof restoration vs replacement
Compare roof restoration, recover and replacement using condition, moisture and scope evidence, with questions to ask before accepting a roofing proposal.
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Roof structural assessment
Learn what a roof structural assessment examines, how it differs from a roof inspection, and why solar loads need a building-specific engineering review.
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TPO vs EPDM vs PVC roofing
Compare TPO, EPDM and PVC membranes by system design, seams, exposure and maintenance, with practical questions for evaluating complete roofing proposals.
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Technology infrastructure
Cabling, networking, cloud systems and cybersecurity.
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Cable certification vs cable testing
Understand verification, qualification and cabling certification, including test boundaries, report identifiers and the evidence needed at handover.
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Cat6 vs Cat6A
Compare Cat6 and Cat6A for office networks, including 10GBASE-T support, channel limits, installation considerations and the testing evidence to request.
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Cloud migration assessment
Learn how a cloud migration assessment evaluates workloads, dependencies, readiness and costs to create an actionable migration and remediation plan.
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Hybrid cloud
Understand hybrid cloud, its links between local and cloud systems, and the networking, security, cost and recovery decisions an architecture must address.
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Network segmentation
Learn how network segmentation controls communication, why VLANs alone are insufficient, and how to define and test useful security boundaries.
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OTDR testing
Understand how OTDR testing locates fiber events, why setup and dead zones matter, and how traces complement end-to-end insertion-loss measurements.
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Recovery time vs recovery point objective
Understand recovery time and recovery point objectives, compare them with a timeline example, and learn how to test recovery against business needs.
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Single-mode vs multimode fiber
Compare single-mode and multimode fiber by application, distance, optics and test requirements, with practical guidance for specifying a complete link.
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Structured cabling
Learn how structured cabling connects a building, where copper and fiber fit, and which testing and handover records make an installation useful.
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Vulnerability assessment vs penetration testing
Compare security assessments and penetration tests by purpose, scope, evidence and limitations, with questions for evaluating proposals and follow-up work.
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Wireless site survey
Learn how predictive, passive and active Wi-Fi surveys support design, why coverage differs from capacity, and what useful survey reports should include.
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Zero-trust architecture
Learn how zero-trust architecture evaluates access, how identity and enforcement fit together, and why implementation requires more than a security product.
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Looking for local project guidance? Explore our solar guides or contact Soleil Energy.
