shelf life of batteries

The length of time, under specified conditions, that a battery can be stored so that it keeps its guaranteed capacity.

Type of battery charge regulator where the charging current is controlled by a switch connected in series with the PV module or array.

A way of joining electrical equipment by connecting positive leads to negative leads; such a configuration increases the voltage while current remains the same.

See `Multicrystalline.’

Any material that has a limited capacity for conducting an electric current. Certain semiconductors, including silicon, gallium arsenide, copper indium dislenide, and cadmium telluride, are uniquely suited to the photovoltaic conversion process.

Concept for providing large amounts of electricity for use on the Earth from one or more satellites in geosynchronous Earth orbit. A very large array of solar cells on each satellite would provide electricity, which would be converted to microwave energy and beamed to a receiving antenna on the ground. There, it would be reconverted […]

The property of a conductor which opposes the flow of an electric current resulting in the generation of heat in the conducting material. The unit of resistance is ohms.

Systems located away from the utility grid.

Site which is not located near the utility grid.

A device that converts AC to DC. See inverter.