Subject Index - Technology-Related Terms
- air-source heat pump
- bandgap
- baseload
- black start
- BOS
- chemical terms
- cleantech
- close-spaced sublimation
- cogeneration
- concentrating solar power
- coproduction
- CPV
- dish/engine systems
- enhanced geothermal system
- exergy
- geofluid
- geopressured geothermal resource
- Geothermal Electric Technology Evaluation Model
- geothermal heat pump
- heat mining
- high-performance computing
- hybrid electric vehicle
- III-V solar cell
- inverters
- Kalina cycle
- lithology
- low-e
- microseismic events
- multijunction solar cell
- net zero
- noncondensable gases
- NREL attribution statement
- photovoltaics and photovoltaic
- Rankine cycle
- renewable portfolio standard
- rheology
- Smart Grid and smart grid
- solar cell interfaces
- solar conversion efficiency
- solar electricity
- systems integrator
- technical abbreviations
- techno-economic
- zero energy building
air-source heat pump
Subject: Technology-Related Termsbandgap
"Bandgap" is one word.
Subject: Technology-Related Termsbaseload
"Baseload" is one word when used as a noun or adjective.
Subject: Technology-Related Termsblack start
When used as a noun, “black start” is two words. Hyphenate “black-start” when it is used as a modifier. Avoid using as a verb if possible.
This building has black-start capabilities.
BOS
BOS stands for balance of systems (not system).
Subject: Technology-Related Termschemical terms
Do not use a hyphen in most chemical expressions, even when the terms are used as modifiers.
hydrogen ion activity
Use a hyphen after prefixes when that's the standard for certain chemical formulas.
trans-glycol
Use a hyphen to indicate mixtures or combinations.
cleantech
"Cleantech" is spelled as one word. It is not hyphenated, and the "t" is not capitalized. The word "cleantech" is typically used in reference to investments in sustainable technologies, including renewable energy and energy efficiency. Don't use as a shortened form of "clean technology" in other references.
Subject: Technology-Related Termsclose-spaced sublimation
The term is "close-spaced sublimation," not "closed-space sublimation."
Subject: Technology-Related Termscogeneration
Subject: Technology-Related Termsconcentrating solar power
Concentrating solar power (CSP) captures the sun’s heat and uses the thermal energy to produce electricity (e.g., via a steam turbine).Subject: Technology-Related Terms
coproduction
Subject: Technology-Related TermsCPV
CPV (concentrating photovoltaics) uses lenses to intensify the sunlight striking PV cells, which enhances the cells' electricity production.
Subject: Technology-Related Termsdish/engine systems
Use a slash rather than a hyphen.
Subject: Technology-Related Termsenhanced geothermal system
The preferred term is "enhanced geothermal system." It is also sometimes referred to as an "engineered geothermal system."
Subject: Technology-Related Termsexergy
Subject: Technology-Related Termsgeofluid
Subject: Technology-Related Termsgeopressured geothermal resource
Subject: Technology-Related TermsGeothermal Electric Technology Evaluation Model
Subject: Technology-Related Termsgeothermal heat pump
Subject: Technology-Related Termsheat mining
Subject: Technology-Related Termshigh-performance computing
“High-performance computing” should be hyphenated. The abbreviation HPC can be used to refer to high-performance computing but should not be used to mean high-performance computer. However, the term "supercomputer" may be used in place of high-performance computer.
Subjects: Punctuation, Technology-Related Termshybrid electric vehicle
This phrase contains no hyphens.
Subject: Technology-Related TermsIII-V solar cell
This term refers to a cell composed of semiconducting materials from Group III (e.g., gallium) and Group V (e.g., arsenic) elements of the periodic table.
Subject: Technology-Related Termsinverters
Inverters convert direct current to alternating current.
Subject: Technology-Related TermsKalina cycle
Subject: Technology-Related Termslithology
Subject: Technology-Related Termslow-e
Subject: Technology-Related Termsmicroseismic events
Subject: Technology-Related Termsmultijunction solar cell
This term is preferred over "tandem solar cell."
Subject: Technology-Related Termsnet zero
When used as a noun, “net zero” is two words. It is also two words when referencing the Net Zero Labs program. Hyphenate “net-zero” when it is used as a modifier.
We are close to achieving our emissions goal of net zero.
The goal is to achieve net-zero emissions.
noncondensable gases
Subject: Technology-Related TermsNREL attribution statement
The NREL attribution statement, which recognizes NREL's affiliation with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, is required on all NREL publications. In addition, note that a period is used on the "sentence" version of the statement.
Subjects: Government Terms, Technology-Related Termsphotovoltaics and photovoltaic
"Photovoltaics" is a singular noun. "Photovoltaic" is an adjective. The acronym PV can be a noun or an adjective, but do not pluralize it.
Subject: Technology-Related TermsRankine cycle
Subject: Technology-Related Termsrenewable portfolio standard
Only capitalize "renewable portfolio standard" when a state name precedes it.
rheology
Subject: Technology-Related TermsSmart Grid and smart grid
Use capital letters for "Smart Grid" when referring to the overall goal or concept and lowercase letters for "smart grid" when referring to current implementations or when used as an adjective.
Subject: Technology-Related Termssolar cell interfaces
Use a slash rather than a hyphen to designate solar cell interfaces or layers.
GaInP/GaAs2
solar conversion efficiency
Define in outreach publications as "the percentage of sunlight striking a solar cell that is converted into electricity." A definition is often unnecessary in technical publications.
Subject: Technology-Related Termssolar electricity
This term is interchangeable with "photovoltaic power," "PV power," or "PV electricity."
Subject: Technology-Related Termssystems integrator
The correct term is "systems integrator," not "system integrator."
Subject: Technology-Related Termstechnical abbreviations
Unless your profession, technical field, or scientific discipline specifies something different, use the abbreviations in NREL's list of technical abbreviations or the National Institute of Science and Technology's Guide.
Subjects: Data and Measurement, Technology-Related Termstechno-economic
Hyphenate. Don't spell as one word.
Subject: Technology-Related Termszero energy building
Use the term to indicate an energy-efficient building where, on a source energy basis, the actual annual delivered energy is less than or equal to the on-site renewable exported energy. Similar terms include zero energy campus, zero energy portfolio, and zero energy community.
Subject: Technology-Related TermsShare
Last Updated Dec. 9, 2024