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Solar Cooking

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A History of Solar Cooking:
A Parabolic Cooker for Unattended Cooking:   
A Simple Solar (Sunflower) Autoclave Design:   
A Story Illustrating the Application of Solar Cooker Design Principles in a Field Project:   
An Alignment Template for Unattended Solar Cooking: 
Balancing the Scales — Reducing Inequities with Solar Box Cookers:   
Big Adventure of a Little Solar Cooker:   
Bob Culbertsons Heat Booster:   
Canning Fruits with a Solar Box Cooker:   
Comparison of Lids for Greenhouse Pots for Solar Panel Cookers:   
complete text of book Expanding World of Solar Box Cooking:
Converting a Box Cooker to Have Round Inner Walls: 
Cooking smoke: a pervasive killer in developing countries: 
Cooking Ugali in a Solar Box Cooker:   
Developing an Intuitive Feel for the Dynamics of Solar Cooking:   
Do High Efficiency Woodstoves Create More Greenhouse Gasses?: 
Easy Lid Cooker:  Although designs for cardboard cookers have gotten simpler, fitting a lid can still be difficult and time consuming. In this version, a lid is formed automatically from the outer box.
Ecological Cookers: An essential Element in Bettering Household Health:   
Energy Crisis on a Global Scale — Solar Cookers offer a practical solution:   
Estimate Your Cost Savings from Solar Cooking:   
Food Safety and Solar Cooking:   
Fuelwood as Percentage of Energy Consumption in Developing Countries:   
Horace de Saussure and his Hot Boxes of the 1700s: 
Importance of Eye Safety in Solar Cooking:   
Information on the solar absorbtivity and emmitance of various materials :   
International Standards for Testing Solar Cookers: 
Interview with S Narayanaswami on solar cooking in India: 
Introduction to Solar Cooking:   
Kerr-Cole Large Solar Panel/Propane Hybrid Stoves:
Making and using a solar cooker :  new link — It was during those days that I saw my first solar cooker and began the hobby that led to the cooker described in this article. I started out building the most efficient styles I could come up with. Later, while keeping this efficiency, I strove to simplify the building process, the materials needed, and the actual use of the cooker. The cooker is now basically cardboard, aluminum foil, and glass. Yet, because of the design, it is remarkably efficient and durable. 
Minimum Solar Box Cooker :  A great solar oven you can build quickly from two cardboard boxes
Mipango ya jiko la jua:   
Pot with Integrated Greenhouse for Solar Panel Cooker: 
Principles of Solar Box Cooker Design:  The purpose of this paper is to summarize the basic principles that are used in the design of solar box cookers.
Rating Solar Cookers:   
Recipe for Solar Seed Bars:   
Recipes for Wheat Paste:   
Report from the 1992 World Conference on Solar Cooking in Stockton California :   
Robustness of a Reflective Solar Cooker:   
Side-By-Side Comparison of the Various Panel Cookers: 
Solar box cookers:  Half the inhabitants of Earth cook over wood fires. Nearly half the world’s wood supply is used as fuel. But there’s not enough of it to go round — more than 2 billion people now face shortages of fuelwood. Forests in the developing countries are shrinking by more than 15 million hectares a year. The critical forest-to-people ratio has never been lower — worldwide, it is now less than half what it was in 1960.
Solar Box Cookers for Schools:   
Solar Cookers a Hit at Rio Conference:   
Solar Cookers Support All of the United Nations MDG Goals: 
Solar Cooking on the Roof:   
Solar cooking recipes:   
Solar Crêperie:   
Solar Dryer Systems and the Internet: important resources to improve food preparation:   
Solar Oven Society:  Restoration of water pumping windmills. Water system design and consultation
Solar Oven Trackers:   
Solar Ovens for Developing Countries:   
SunPan:  new link — The "SunPan" was specifically designed to be built in any country with local materials and hand tools, a hometown solar cooker.  This solar cooker can be mass-produced. 
Sustainable Kitchen:   
Testing and Reporting Solar Cooker Performance from ASEA: 
The Big Adventure of a Little Solar Cooker:   
The complete text of the book The Expanding World of Solar Box Cooking:   
The Easy Lid Cooker:  Although designs for cardboard cookers have gotten simpler, fitting a lid can still be difficult and time consuming. In this version, a lid is formed automatically from the outer box.
The Energy Crisis on a Global Scale — Solar Cookers offer a practical solution:   
The Importance of Eye Safety in Solar Cooking: 
The Kerr-Cole Large Solar Panel/Propane Hybrid Stoves: 
The Minimum Solar Box Cooker :  new link — A great solar oven you can build quickly from two cardboard boxes
The Solar Crêperie:   
The Sustainable Kitchen:   
The Untapped Market for Solar Cookers:   
The WHO Golden Rules for Safe Food Preparation:
Theories behind a Chinese Reflective Solar Cooker: 
Through-the-Wall Ovens:   
Tips on Construction and Cooking:   
UN Report: Indoor Air Pollution in Developing Countries (pdf): 
Untapped Market for Solar Cookers:   
Using a Solar Oven as a Radiant Refrigerator at Night: 
WHO Golden Rules for Safe Food Preparation:   

Please suggest additional links      

Solar Thermal

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Solar Thermal Electricity

The intense energy of the sun has long been used to heat liquids. Among the first mechanical uses of the sun was a 20-square-meter, parabolic concentrating reflector that boiled water and produced steam. This steam was used in a steam-driven printing press at the 1878 World’s Fair in Paris.

In the late 1800s, relying upon the sun to heat water was common practice in the southwestern United States. Photos can be found showing pioneer families proudly showing off new homes equipped with solar water heaters. At one point, almost a quarter of the residents of Los Angeles relied upon the sun to heat their water with rooftop solar thermal systems.

The sun’s heat can be used in two ways with homes and businesses. The sun is used to heat water for domestic hot water systems, or the sun’s light can be concentrated and water temperatures increased to make steam and electricity.

Please suggest additional links       

 

Solar Thermal Links
How Solar Thermal and Photovoltaics Work:  Have you ever felt warm water trickle out of a garden hose that’s been sitting in the sun? If so, then you’ve witnessed solar water heating in action.
Solar Collector and Greenhouse:  Manual covers everything from exact material lists to avoiding common problems. 
Solar Lightguide:  Description of a cost-effective solar concentrating collector. [PDF] 
Solar Thermal Water Heater: Solar Panel and Exterior Pipe Installation:   
Solar Water Heater:  Build this one yourself as it is a bolt together design that can be built in the average home workshop with a limited amount of engineering skills and equipment 
Solarwall Article:  Environmental Building News reports on solar walls, preheating incoming air that doesn’t require glazing or any other high-maintenance parts. 
Sterling Solar:  Producing power from thermal sources, including geothermal, waste steam, solar, and biofuels. 
Temperature Logger:  Contains a full description of how to build a temperature logger and solar heated water controller.

Please suggest additional links

What is Passive Solar?

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Why Passive Solar Works

The earth’s axis is tilted, we learned that in elementary school.  As a result of the earth’s tilt, the sun rises lower in the winter sky and rises higher in the summer sky.  In planning for passive solar in our homes, we must remember that in a Northern Hemisphere, the winter sun rises in the South East, stays low in the South sky, and then sets in the South West.  The summer sun rises more in the North East, quickly gains height to a higher elevation than in winter, and then sets back in the North West. 

So the best things to do in the Northern Hemisphere are:

  • Let the sunshine in to heat a thermal mass.  Orient the house such that the major axis runs east-west.  

  • Carefully place the windows.  Limit the number and size of windows on the Northern side of the house, to reduce Summer heating of the interior. Place more windows on the Southern side of the house.  Use wide eaves and tall shade trees to limit solar radiation in the Summer, yet provide plenty of solar heating in the Winter. Clerestory windows and dormers can bring winter light into otherwise dark areas of the house (minimize skylight use). Use a solar path chart to design a building so that low winter sun shines in and high summer sun is blocked by effective use of windows, overhangs and shade.

  • High R values with minimal air leaks are key to any low-energy house.  Do a blower door test to verify house tightness. Invest in a high performance ventilation system; an air to air heat exchanger recovers the heat in exhausted ventilation air.

  • Thermal mass, inside the building, moderates temperature swings by storing heat during the day and releasing it a night. Materials commonly used for mass include water, concrete, masonry, and earth. Keep the mass at 3-4” thick, and keep it in the direct sun for best effectiveness. Mass must be carefully balanced with glazing area to perform properly in a given climate.

  • Do your homework before building.  Time spent on the building site observing sun, wind, rain, and ground water pays off in selecting the ideal location and design for the house.

In colder climates, it’s important to store as much of the incoming solar energy during the day as possible, and then allow it to continue heating the house during the night.  The best way to store this heat is in a large thermal mass.  One popular (and patented) way to do this is with a thick slab floor.  This floor could be solid concrete, or a layer of rock.  Since the incoming sunlight will only heat the South side of the slab (via the windows) several ingenious methods have been devised to circulate air through the slab.  This air serves to moderate the temperature of the slab during the day, and help heat the air within the house during the night.  

Please suggest additional links      

Passive Solar Links
CEPHEUS:Cost Efficient Passive Houses as European Standards – Austria 
National Home Plans Inc :Browse through home plans, many featuring energy-efficient "passive-solar design," Charles Koty, A.I.A. Order plans by phone, fax or mail.

Please suggest additional links 
More Passive Solar Links  

What is "Passive Solar"?

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Passive Solar Links
CEPHEUS:  new link — Cost Efficient Passive Houses as European Standards – Austria 
National Home Plans Inc: Browse through home plans, many featuring energy-efficient "passive-solar design," Charles Koty, A.I.A. Order plans by phone, fax or mail. (added 4/06)
Passive Solar Guidelines:  outlines various design features employing convective currents to cool buildings. From the Sustainable Building Sourcebook.
Passive Solar House Design:  photographs, sketches, and explanations of a design for the local climate in northern Florida.  )
Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (SHC):  The International Energy Agency’s SHC Programme is an international collaboration to advance active solar, passive solar and photovoltaic technologies and their application in buildings.
Svens Strohballenseite:  SB and passive solar designer Sven put up this German site to translate some of the better-known SB resources for his building community. He covers the basics of SB and takes his inspiration from David Eisenberg’s code work to include the development of German-European building standards and details. Danke Sven!
The History of Passive Solar:  John Perlin provides a historical summary 

Please suggest additional links       

Photovoltaic Facts

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  • The scientists invented photovoltaic cells (or panels) to capture the sun’s energy and turn it into electricity. They wanted to use this solar electricity to power satellites in space.
  • Photovoltaic energy is the conversion of sunlight into electricity through a photovoltaic (PVs) cell, commonly called a solar cell.  A photovoltaic cell is a nonmechanical device usually made from silicon alloys.
  • The pv cell was discovered in 1954 by Bell Telephone researchers examining the sensitivity of a properly prepared silicon wafer to sunlight.  Beginning in the late 1950s, pvs were used to power U.S. space satellites. 
  • Photovoltaic cells are made up like a sandwich – two layers of silicon containing special chemicals. Sunlight is used to charge electrons in the silicon layers. The energised electrons move through the cell and flow into a wire, creating an electric current.
  • Solar photovoltaic power is the same technology that powers some calculators and watches. It is also used for remote telephones in some regional areas. The power of the sun is also used as a direct source in solar hot water units.
  • Solar power is particularly useful in remote areas (and there are a lot of these in Australia) where regular electricity supply is not available.
  • PV modules covering an area about 110 miles by 110 miles of the land in the United States, one-third the land occupied by roadways, could supply all the electricity consumed here.
  • PV-generated power correlates well with utilities’ daily load patterns, because the power is available when it is needed most—during daylight hours.

 

Passive Solar Links
National Solar Thermal Test Facility :  new link — U.S. Department of Energy’s test facility devoted to the development of the use of solar energy. Website features virtual tour of the facility.
ScanWafer AS :  new link — Producer of high quality multicrystalline wafers for the PV industry.
Thermomax Technologies :  new link — Provider in the renewable industry including design consultation and coordination of PV system installation.

More PV links >>>  

Links to Photovoltaic Information

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Links to Photovoltaic Information
Ecosolar Systems (India) Pvt Ltd :  Manufacturer of cadmium telluride / cadmium sulphide based thin film solar cells and modules and their applications.
Energy & Environmental Resources :  International energy and environmental engineering consulting group with information on renewable energy.
Energy Technology: The Next Steps :  Summary of ATLAS project findings and comprehensive survey of new energy technologies in the European Union.
Enersol manufacturer of swimming pool solar heating panels Shipped Worldwide :  Manufacturer of solar heating panels shipped worldwide. Online catalogue available.
Eurosolare :  Provider of technology for the production and application of electric generators based on the photovoltaic conversion of solar energy.
Free Heat Industries :  Provider of swimming pool heating and cooling designs and kits.
Frequently Asked Questions about PV :  updated 23 Jan 98  / (added 09/2005)
GeoSolar Energy Systems Inc :  Solar engineering design, manufacturing, and installation firm. Products include solar pumps and panels.
Greenstar Solar E-commerce and Community Center :  Provider for villages in the developing world of a solar powered system that delivers electricity, pure water and telemedicine.
History of Photovoltaics:  The story of photovoltaics and how it all began in 1839 as a coincidence, just like many other discoveries in the past, such as penicillin, is a very interesting reading. The story will take you through some facts, persons and events, which have marked the history of photovoltaics. 
How do Photovoltaics Work?:  Photovoltaics is the direct conversion of light into electricity at the atomic level. Some materials exhibit a property known as the photoelectric effect that causes them to absorb photons of light and release electrons. When these free electrons are captured, an electric current results that can be used as electricity.
International Electrotechnical Commission :  Standards organization for electro technology; site includes information about electric, electronic and electro technical international standards, compliance and conformity assessment for equipment.
Intersolar SA :  Manufacturer of solar equipment and a distributor of solar and heating equipment.
Ireg Limited :  Solar panel manufacturing plant and equipment specialists to governments and commercial organisations. Online brochure.
Kiss + Cathcart Architects :  Specialists in solar technologies providing integration of solar, or photovoltaic, technology and architectural design.
LP Hoying :  Designer, manufacturer and seller of photovoltaic power supplies for cathodic protection.

DSE Energy Glossary

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UA A measure of the amount of heat that would be transferred through a given surface or enclosure (such as a building envelope) with a one degree Fahrenheit temperature difference between the two sides. The UA is calculated by multiplying the U-Value by the area of the surface (or surfaces).
UDC Utility distribution company. An entity that owns a distribution system for the delivery of energy to and from the ISO-controlled grid, and that provides regulated, retail service to eligible end-use customers who are not yet eligible for direct access, or who choose not to arrange services through another retailer.
Ultrahigh Voltage Transmission Transporting electricity over bulk-power lines at voltages greater than 800 kilovolts.
Ultraviolet Electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range of 4 to 400 nanometers.
Unbundling Disaggregating electric utility service into its basic components and offering each component separately for sale with separate rates for each component. For example, generation, transmission and distribution could be unbundled and offered as discrete services.
Unconditioned Space A space that is neither directly nor indirectly conditioned space, which can be isolated from conditioned space by partitions and/or closeable doors.
Underground Feeder (Uf) May be used for photovoltaic array wiring if sunlight resistant coating is specified; can be used for interconnecting balance-of-system components but not recommended for use within battery enclosures.
Underground Service Entrance (Use) May be used within battery enclosures and for interconnecting balance-of-systems.
Uninterruptible Power Supply A power supply capable of providing continuous no-stop power, usually by utilizing batteries.
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) A power supply capable of providing continuous uninterruptible service; normally containing batteries to provide energy storage.
Universal Service Electric service sufficient for basic needs (an evolving bundle of basic services) available to virtually all members of the population regardless of income.
Unleaded Gasoline Gasoline that has had tetraethyl lead removed in conformance with federal and state regulations.
Upgrade (Electric Utility) Replacement or addition of electrical equipment resulting in increased generation or transmission capability.
Uprate (Electric Utility) An increase in the rating or stated measure of generation or transfer capability.
Upstream A term used in the petroleum industry referring to the exploration and production side of the business. This includes pipelines but production before reaching the refinery.
Upwind In relation to a wind turbine, toward the wind. An upwind turbine has its blades on the upwind side of the tower.
Upwind Generator A wind generator which its propellers faces into the wind (vane behind)
Uranium A radioactive element, found in ores, of which atoms can be split to create energy.
Uranium Enrichment The process of increasing the percentage of pure uranium above the levels found in naturally occurring uranium ore, so that it may be used as fuel.
Utility A regulated entity which exhibits the characteristics of a natural monopoly. For the purposes of electric industry restructuring, "utility" refers to the regulated, vertically-integrated electric company. "Transmission utility" refers to the regulated owner/operator of the transmission system only. "Distribution utility" refers to the regulated owner/operator of the distribution system which serves retail customers.
Utility Grid Also see "Power Grid." A common term referring to an electricity transmission and distribution system.
Utility-Interactive Inverter An inverter that can function only when tied to the utility grid, and uses the prevailing line-voltage frequency on the utility line as a control parameter to ensure that the photovoltaic system’s output is fully synchronized with the utility power.
Utility-Intertie (Ui) System See GRID-TIE SYSTEM.
U-Value Or U-Factor A measure of how well heat is transferred by the entire window

DSE Energy Glossary

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VAC Voltage Alternating Current
Vacuum Evaporation The deposition of thin films of semiconductor material by the evaporation of elemental sources in a vacuum.
Vacuum Zero The energy of an electron at rest in empty space; used as a reference level in energy band diagrams.
Valence Band The highest energy band in a semiconductor that can be filled with electrons.
Valence Level Energy/Valence State Energy content of an electron in orbit about an atomic nucleus. Also called bound state.
Vane A large piece of material used behind the generator to hold the blades in the direction of the wind.
Vapor Barrier A material with a permeance of one perm or less which provides resistance to the transmission of water vapor.
Vaporize to change into the gas form anything which is normally a liquid or a solid; the term is most commonly is used in reference to water (which vaporizes to steam).
Variable-Speed Wind Turbines Turbines in which the rotor speed increases and decreases with changing wind speeds. Sophisticated power control systems are required on variable speed tubines to insure that their power maintains a constant frequency compatible with the grid.
Varistor A non-ohmic or voltage-dependent variable resistor. Normally used as over-voltage limiters to protect sensitive equipment from power spikes or lightning strikes by shunting the energy to ground.
VAV System (Variable Air Volume System) A mechanical HVAC system capable of serving multiple zones which controls the temperature maintained in a zone by controlling the amount of heated or cooled air supplied to the zone.
Vdc Voltage Direct Current
Vented Cell A battery designed with a vent mechanism to expel gases generated during charging.
Ventilation The process of supplying or removing air by natural or mechanical means to or from any space. Such air may or may not have been conditioned or treated.
Vertical Integration An arrangement whereby the same company owns all the different aspects of making, selling, and delivering a product or service. In the electric industry, it refers to the historically common arrangement whereby a utility would own its own generating plants,transmission system, and distribution lines to provide all aspects of electric service.
Vertical Multijunction (Vmj) Cell A compound cell made of different semiconductor materials in layers, one above the other. Sunlight entering the top passes through successive cell barriers, each of which converts a separate portion of the spectrum into electricity, thus achieving greater total conversion efficiency of the incident light. Also called a multiple junction cell. See multijunction device and split-spectrum cell.
Visible Light Transmittance The ratio of visible light transmitted through a substance to the total visible light incident on its surface.
VMP The voltage at which a PV device is operating at maximum power.
VOC Open Circuit Voltage.
Volcano an opening in the Earth’s crust from which lava, steam, and/or ashes erupt (or flow), either continuously or at intervals.
Volt A unit for measuring the force used to produce an electric current; the push or force that moves electric current through a conductor.
Volt (V) A unit of electrical force equal to that amount of electromotive force that will cause a steady current of one ampere to flow through a resistance of one ohm.
Voltage A measure of the force or "push" given the electrons in an electrical circuit; a measure of electrical potential. Analogy-pressure in a water pipe. AKA Potential.
Voltage At Maximum Power (VMP) The voltage at which maximum power is available from a photovoltaic module.
Voltage Drop Loss of voltage (electrical pressure) caused by the resistance in wire and electrical devices. Proper wire sizing will minimize voltage drop, particularly over long distances. Voltage drop is determined by four factors wire size, current (amps), voltage, and length of wire. Water analogy friction loss in pipe.
Voltage Of A Circuit (Electric Utility) The electric pressure of a circuit, measured in volts. Usually a nominal rating, based on the maximum normal effective difference of potential between any two conductors of the circuit.
Voltage Protection A sensing circuit on an Inverter that will disconnect the unit from the battery if input voltage limits are exceeded.
Voltage Regulation This indicates the variability in the output voltage. Some loads will not tolerate voltage variations greater than a few percent.
Voltage Regulator A device that controls the operating voltage of a photovoltaic array.
Voltage, Nominal A way of naming a range of voltage to a standard. Example: A “12 volt nominal” system may operate in the range of 10 to 20 Volts. We call it “12 volts” for simplicity.
Voltage, Open Circuit See OPEN CIRCUIT VOLTAGE
Voltage, Peak Power Point (VPP) The voltage at which a photovoltaic module or array generates at the highest power (watts). A “12 volt nominal” PV module will typically have a peak power voltage of around 17 volts. A PV array-direct solar pump should reach this voltage in full sun conditions. In a higher voltage array, it will be a multiple of this voltage.
Voltmeter A device for measuring the voltage difference between any two points in an electrical circuit.
Volumetric Wires Charge A type of charge for using the transmission and/or distribution system that is based on the volume of electricity that is transmitted.

DSE Energy Glossary

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Wafer A thin sheet of crystalline semiconductor material either made by mechanically sawing it from a single-crystal boule or multicrystalline ingot or block, or made directly by casting. The wafer is "raw material" for the solar cell.
Water Heater An appliance for supplying hot water for purposes other than space heating or pool heating.
Water Phases the change of water from one state to another. The change from ice to liquid is melting; the reverse process is freezing. The change from liquid to gas is evaporation and the product is water vapor; the change from water vapor to liquid is called condensation. Evaporation and condensation are both important functions in geothermal phenomena and in geothermal technology.
Waterspout A tornado occurring over water. Sometimes it is a lesser whirlwind over water, comparable in intensity to a dust devil over land.
Watsco The Western Association for Transmission System Coordination.
Watt A unit for measuring electric power, eg. 1 horse power = 746 watts. One Kilowatt = 1000 watts. One Megawatt = 1,000,000 watts.
Watt (W) the measure of the amount of current flowing through a wire at a given time.
Watt (W) The unit of electrical power commonly used to define the electricity consumption of an appliance. The power developed when a current of one ampere flows through a potential difference of one volt; 1/746 of a horsepower. 1 Watt = 1 Joule/s.
Watt Hour (Wh) A unit of energy equal to one Watt of power being used for one hour. 
Watt Hours A unit of energy equivalent to the power of one watt operating for one hour.
Watt Peak (Technical Definition) The Watt Power output of a Solar module is the number of Watts Output when it is illuminated under standard conditions of 1000 Watts/meter2 intensity, 25°C ambient temperature and a spectrum that relates to sunlight that has passed through the atmosphere (AM or Air Mass 1.5).
Watt Peak (User Friendly Definition) Is the Direct Current Watts output of a Solar Module as measured under an Industry standardized Light Test before the Solar Module leaves the Manufacturers facility.
Watt-Hour A unit of measurement quantifying an amount of energy used or generated. A load that consumes 1 watt for 10 hours uses 10 watt-hours.
Watt-Hour (Wh) A unit of electricity consumption of one watt over the period of one hour.
Waveform The shape of a wave or pattern representing a vibration. The shape characterizing an AC current or voltage output.
Weatherstripping Specially designed strips, seals and gaskets installed around doors and windows to limit air leakage.
Wet Shelf Life The period of time that a charged battery, when filled with electrolyte, can remain unused before dropping below a specified level of performance.
Wet-Bulb Temperature The temperature at which water, by evaporating into air, can bring the air to saturation at the same temperature. Wet-bulb temperature is measured by a wet-bulb psychrometer.
Wheeling The transmission of electricity by an entity that does not own or directly use the power it is transmitting. Wholesale wheeling is used to indicate bulk transactions in the wholesale market, whereas retail wheeling allows power producers direct access to retail customers. This term is often used colloquially as meaning transmission.
Whole House Fan A system capable of cooling a house by exhausting a large volume of warm air when the outside air is cool.
Wholesale Competition A system whereby a distributor of power would have the option to buy its power from a variety of power producers, and the power producers would be able to compete to sell their power to a variety of distribution companies.
Wholesale Power Market The purchase and sale of electricity from generators to resellers (who sell to retail customers) along with the ancillary services needed to maintain reliability and power quality at the transmission level.
Williwaw Violent gusts of cold air that blow off the mountainous coasts into the oceans in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska and the Straits of Magellan, near the south end of South America.
Willy-Willy The name for a hurricane that occurs in the seas north of Australia.
Wind Moving air.
Wind Energy Also see "Wind Power" Energy available from the movement of the wind across a landscape. The wind’s movement is caused by the sun, which heats the atmosphere, the earth, and the oceans, forcing air to rise and fall in cycles.
Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS) An apparatus for converting wind energy to mechanical energy, making it available for powering machinery and operating electrical generators.
Wind Farm A piece of land on which wind turbines are sited for the purpose of electricity generation.
Wind Generator A system that captures the force of the wind to provide rotational motion and transfers that power to an alternator or generator.
Wind Power Also see "Wind Energy." Energy available from the movement of the wind across a landscape. The wind’s movement is caused by the sun’s heat, the earth, and the oceans, forcing air to rise and fall in cycles.
Wind Power Plant A group of wind turbines interconnected to a common utility system.
Wind Resource Assessment The process of characterizing the wind resource and its energy potential for a specific site or geographical area.
Wind Rose A diagram that indicates the average percentage of time that the wind blows from different directions, on a monthly or annual basis.
Wind Speed The rate of flow of wind when it blows undisturbed by obstacles.
Wind Speed Frequency Curve A curve that indicates the number of hours per year that specific wind speeds occur.
Wind Speed Profile A profile of how the wind speed changes at different heights above the surface of the ground or water.
Wind Turbine A machine that captures the energy of the wind and transfers the motion to a generator shaft.
Wind Turbine Rated Capacity The amount of power a wind turbine can produce at its rated wind speed.
Wind Turbines use the wind’s energy to generate electricity.
Wind Velocity The wind speed and direction in an undisturbed flow.
Windmill A wind energy conversion system that is used to grind grain. However, the word windmill is commonly used to refer to all types of wind energy conversion systems.
Window A wide band gap material chosen for its transparency to light. Generally used as the top layer of a photovoltaic device, the window allows almost all of the light to reach the semiconductor layers beneath.
Windpower Profile The change in the power available in the wind due to changes in the wind speed or velocity.
Wire Types See Article 300 of National Electric Code for more information.
Wires Charge A broad term which refers to charges levied on power suppliers or their customers for the use of the transmission or distribution wires.
Work Function The energy difference between the Fermi level and vacuum zero. The minimum amount of energy it takes to remove an electron from a substance into the vacuum.
WRTA The Western Regional Transmission Association, an RTG.
WSSCC The Western System Coordinating Council. A voluntary industry association created to enhance reliability among western utilities.
WSSP The Western Systems Power Pool. A FERC approved industry institution that provides a forum for short-term trades in electric energy, capacity, exchanges and transmission services. The pool consists of approximately 50 members and serves 22 states, a Canadian province and 60 million people. The WSSP is headquarter in Phoenix, Arizona.

DSE Energy Glossary

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Xenon A heavy gas used in specialized electric lamps.
X-Ray A type of electromagnetic radiation having low energy levels.
Xyloid Coal Brown coal or lignite mostly derived from wood.
Yaw Rotation parallel to the ground. Generators Yaw to face the wind as the wind changes direction.
Yaw Axis Vertical axis through the center of  the generators gravity.
Yaw Bearing The bearing that sits under the generator to allow the generator to rotate and follow the wind direction.
Zenith Angle The angle between directly overhead and a line through the sun. The elevation angle of the sun above the horizon is 90° minus the zenith angle.
Zephyr A gentle breeze. Also the West Wind in Greek mythology. (“Favonius” in Latin.)
Zonda A warm, dry wind that blows westerly off the Andes of South America and across the plains of Argentina.