APES Unit 6 Vocab

AFV

Alternative Fuel Vehicle, like natural gas cars, fuel cell cars, and electric cars

Biofuels

alcohols, ethers, esters, and other chemicals made from raw biological materials like plants and waste

Biomass

organic waste from agriculture, livestock, lumber, and dead plants, used as a renewable energy source

BTU

British thermal unit; the amount of heat needed to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit

CO

Carbon Monoxide

CO₂

Carbon Dioxide

Cogeneration

production of electricity from energy that is a by-product of another process (also called Combined Heat and Power)

Demand

the rate at which electric energy is delivered or used, measured in kilowatts (kW), megawatts (MW), or gigawatts (GW)

DOE

U.S. Department of Energy

Electric Energy

the use or generation of electric power over time, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), megawatt-hours (MWh), or gigawatt-hours (GWh)

Energy Conservation

using less energy by improving efficiency or reducing energy-using activities

Energy Efficiency

using less energy to perform the same task at the same level of quality

EPA

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Gigawatt-hour (GWh)

the amount of energy used in one hour at a rate of one billion watts

Greenhouse gases

gases like water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, nitrous oxide, methane, and CFCs that trap heat in the atmosphere

Grid

a network of power lines and generators that distributes electricity to customers as needed

Kilowatt (kW)

a measure of the rate of electricity use, often based on the highest use in a 15-minute period

Kilowatt-hour (kWh)

a measure of electricity consumed over time, usually for billing periods

Megawatt (MW)

one megawatt equals 1,000 kilowatts or 1 million watts

Megawatt-hour (MWh)

the energy used in one hour at a rate of one million watts; equals 3,414,000 BTUs

NOₓ

Nitrogen Oxides

Peak Load or Peak Demand

the highest level of electric demand during a specific time period, usually yearly

Public Good

a good or service that benefits everyone and is not produced just for individual buyers

Public Utility

an investor-owned utility regulated by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), excluding municipal utilities

PV

Photovoltaic

Silicon (Si)

a semiconducting material used in solar cells to absorb sunlight and create energy

Utility

an entity that provides electric or natural gas service to the public and is regulated by law

Watt

the unit of measurement for electric power, equal to one ampere under one volt of pressure