Solar Cell Vocabulary || with 100% Errorless Answers.
solar cell correct answers A devise that changes solar energy into electrical energy
photovoltaics correct answers generating electricity from the sun, made of silicon, solar panel,
can get a refund for excess electricity generated/can store excess
Amortisation correct answers energetic amortisation (also known as energy return time) is the
time which a solar electricity system needs to generate the energy used for its production and
installation. when the period of its energetic amortisation has expired, its balance of energy is
then positive. there is no energetic amortisation in the case of power plants operated with fossil
fuels
a:Si correct answers Amorphous silicon. Silicon material having no definite or regular crystal
structure.
absorber correct answers In a photovoltaic device, the material that readily absorbs photons to
generate charge carriers (free electrons or holes).
Absorption coefficient correct answers the factor by which photons are absorbed as they travel a
unit distance through a material.
AC (Alternating Current) correct answers The direction of electrical current reverses, usually
many (60) times per second. Electricity transmission networks use AC because voltage can be
controlled with relative ease.
acceptor correct answers A dopant material, such as boron, which has fewer outer shell electrons
than required in an otherwise balanced crystal structure, providing a hole, which can accept a
free electron.
Accumulator correct answers an accumulator stores electrical energy. in photovoltaics, ac-
cumulators are used for stand-alone systems.
activated shelf life correct answers The period of time, at a specified temperature, that a charged
battery can be stored before its capacity falls to an unusable level.
Activation Voltage(s): correct answers The voltage(s) at which a charge controller will take
action to protect the batteries.
Active solar heater correct answers A solar water or space-heating system that moves heated air
or water using pumps or fans.
ACTIVE SOLAR SYSTEM: correct answers a solar system that generate electricity or require a
mechanical device (fans, pumps, motors powered by energy not derived from solar radiation) for
collecting, storing and distributing thermal (heat) energy.
,Adjustable set point correct answers A feature allowing the user to adjust the voltage levels at
which acharge controller will become active.
AGM correct answers Absorbed Glass Mat, a newer type of battery construction that uses
saturated absorbent glass mats rather than gelled or liquid electrolyte. Somewhat more expensive
than flooded (liquid), but offers very good reliability.
air mass (sometimes called air mass ratio) correct answers . Equal to the cosine of the zenith
angle-that angle from directly overhead to a line intersecting the sun. The air mass is an
indication of the length of the path solar radiation travels through the atmosphere. An air mass of
1.0 means the sun is directly overhead and the radiation travels through one atmosphere
(thickness). 2 length of a pat through the earth's atmosphere traversed by the direct solar beam,
expressed as a multiple of the path traversed to a point at sea level with the sun directly
overhead. Air mass index is defined at standard barometric pressure. The reference spectrum for
standard test conditions (STC) was defined to be AM1.5
Alternator correct answers A device for producing Alternating Current (AC) electricity. Usually
driven by a motor, but can also be driven by other means, including water and wind power.
Ambient Temperature: correct answers The temperature of the surrounding area.
Ammeter correct answers A device used for measuring current flow at any point in an electrical
circuit.
Amorphous semiconductor correct answers a non-crystalline semiconductor material
manufactured by depositing layers of doped silicon on a substrate. Easier and cheaper to make
than crystalline, but less efficient and slowly degrades over time. Also called thin film.
Amorphous modules correct answers modules made of amorphous silicon (a-si) are a type of
thin- film modules. their cells are made up of glass or metal panes coated with a thin layer of
silicon. the name comes from the fact that, when the glass or metal is coated, the silicon atoms
are not distributed in the crystalline structure but are spread amorphously, i.e. at random. a-si
modules can be recognised by their brown colour.
Amorphous correct answers The condition of a solid in which the atoms are not arranged in an
orderly pattern.
Amp hour correct answers The quantity of electrical energy corresponding to the flow of current
of one ampere for one hour. The term is used to quantify the energy stored in a battery. Most
batteries are rated in Ah.
amperage interrupt capability (AIC) correct answers direct current fuses should be rated with a
sufficient AIC to interrupt the highest possible current.
,AMPERAGE: correct answers the amount of electrical current through a conductive source,
Ampere (A) is the unit of electric current: the rate of flow of electrons in a conductor equal to
one coulomb per second
ampere (A) or amp correct answers The unit for the electric current; the flow of electrons. One
amp is 1 coulomb passing in one second. One amp is produced by an electric force of 1 volt
acting across a resistance of 1 ohm. A unit of electrical current or rate of flow of electrons. One
volt across one ohm of resistance causes a current flow of one ampere. One ampere is equal to
6.235 x 10 18 electrons per second passing a given point in a circuit.
Ampere hour (Ah) correct answers the quantity of electrical energy equal to the flow of current
of one ampere for one hour.
ampere hour meter correct answers An instrument that monitors current with time. The
indication is the product of current (in amperes) and time (in hours).
Anemometer correct answers A device used to measure wind speed.
angle of incidence correct answers 1. The angle that a ray of sun makes with a line perpendicular
to the surface. For example, a surface that directly faces the sun has a solar angle of incidence of
zero, but if the surface is parallel to the sun (for example, sunrise striking a horizontal rooftop),
the angle of incidence is 90°. 2. Angle between the normal to a surface and the direction of
incident radiation; applies to the aperture plane of a solar collector. Most modern solar panels
have only minor reductions in power output within plus/minus 15 degrees. The loss is a function
of the cosine, so at 45 degree angle, output drops off by about 30%.
Anisotropic etch correct answers A chemical that etches (burns) away the surface of a
semiconductor at different rates depending on the direction/plane. This way, by pouring the
etching chemical on a material, some sides will burn off faster, leaving a particular shape (e.g. a
pyramid)
annual solar savings correct answers The annual solar savings of a solar building is the energy
savings attributable to a solar feature relative to the energy requirements of a non-solar building.
anode correct answers The positive electrode in an electrochemical cell (battery). Also, the earth
or ground in a cathodic protection system. Also, the positive terminal of a diode. The positive
terminal of a diode.
antireflection coating correct answers A thin coating of a material applied to a solar cell surface
that reduces the light reflection and increases light transmission. Antireflective coatings
minimise incident light reflection from the cell .For maximum efficiency all light incident on the
cell should be trapped inside it.
APCVD correct answers Atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition.
, APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY correct answers technology, processes, products and services
whose nature corresponds to the environment, the socio-cultural milieu and the needs of broad
sectors of the population. array acts like a central generating plant, supplying power to the grid.
array current correct answers The electrical current produced by a photovoltaic array when it is
exposed to sunlight.
array operating voltage correct answers The voltage produced by a photovoltaic array when
exposed to sunlight and connected to a load
Array correct answers 1. A number of Solar PV modules connected together electrically, to
provide a single electrical output. (Also Solar PV panels). 2. PV cells can be arranged in a series
configuration to form a module, and modules can then be connected in pa rail el-series
configurations to form arrays. When connecting cells or modules in series, they must have the
same current rating to produce an additive voltage output, and similarly, modules must have the
same voltage rating when connected in parallel to produce larger currents.
a-Si - AMORPHOUS SILICON correct answers (or a-Si) is the non-crystalline allotropic form
of silicon. It can be deposited in thin films at low temperatures onto a variety of substrates,
which offers some unique capabilities in a variety of electronics. It is the most well developed of
the thin film technologies. In its simplest form, the cell structure has a single sequence of p-i-n
layers. Such cells suffer from significant degradation in their power output (in the range 15-35%)
when exposed to the sun. The mechanism of degradation is called the Staebler-Wronski Effect,
after its discoverers. Better stability requires the use of a thinner layers in order to increase the
electric field strength across the material. However, this reduces light absorption and hence cell
efficiency. In manufacturing Amorphous Solar Cells techniques such as the condensation of
gaseous silicon are used to make cells with a thickness that can be measured in the number of
atomic layers. The atoms in such thin films of silicon are arranged in a completely random
fashion and the cell is called an amorphous thin-film cell. Though these cells are inexpensive,
average efficiencies are around 5 to 15%.
a-Si/µc-Si correct answers Dual amorphous silicon / micro-crystalline silicon absorber (also
referred to as tandem, micromorph). Micro and nano-crystalline are interchangeable.
ASP correct answers Average selling price.
Atoms correct answers The smallest particle of an element that can exist either alone or in
combination
Auger Recombination correct answers a process in which the excess energy given off by an
electron recombining with a hole is given to a second electron (in either band) instead of just
emitting the energy as a photon. The newly excited electron then gives up its additional energy in
a series of collisions with the lattice, relaxing back to the edge of the band.
Autonomous system correct answers A PV system that operates without any other energy
generating source. A stand-alone PV system that has no back-up generating source. May or may
