Glossary of Solar Energy Terms

Learn the key terms and definitions of the solar energy industry and our products below.

  • ACCC is the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

  • Powersensor solution consisting of two sensors and at least one plug, monitors net and gross solar.

  • AER is the Australian Energy Regulator.

  • A form of electrical current in which the direction of the flow of electrons changes back and forth regularly. Used by the grid and most everyday household appliances.

  • The idea that Powersensor can provide whole-of-house data as well as monitoring individual appliances (up to 9) with the use of additional WiFi plugs.

  • The document which contains the basic/essential information of an energy plan.

  • A rechargeable solar battery connecting to a solar system. It stores excess power to be used to offset peak or night time use. Battery storage capacity is measured in KWh.

  • The set time that a customer receives a certain benefit within an energy contract. There may be an exit fee if the contract is terminated within the benefit period.

  • A wireless technology that enables the exchange of data between devices. This is how the sensors communicate

  • The maximum amount of energy a solar system can produce while operating at its full capabilities.

  • Also known as the variable charge, the variable part of an energy bill, how much you are charged for electricity by unit (kWh). See Tariff.

  • A separate tariff for a specific hardwired appliance in a home or business, usually run during off-peak hours.

  • The annual electricity price cap in New South Wales, South Australia and South East Queensland where electricity prices are not regulated. This protects energy consumers within these states by guaranteeing that retailers cannot charge more than the price cap.

  • A kind of electrical current flowing consistently in the same direction. The electrical current in a flashlight or similar appliance that runs on batteries is Direct Current.

  • A Western Australian government program which offers eligible customers a time of export payment for electricity they export to the grid from rooftop solar systems, batteries and EVs.

  • Electricity distributors own and maintain the distribution networks, including power lines and poles carrying electricity to homes and businesses. Examples include Ausgrid (NSW), Energex (QLD), and Citipower (VIC).

  • The idea that Powersensor does not require an electrician home visit to install, no wires, tools, or disruption of supply. Saves the customer time and money.

  • A measure of effectiveness of energy usage.

  • Cars or vehicles that are powered solely by electricity as opposed to liquid/fossil fuels.

  • The flow of electricity.

  • Powersensor solution consisting of one sensor and at least one plug. Monitors only grid consumption.

  • Different in every state, these are free and impartial bodies that offer dispute resolution services to consumers who have unresolved problems with their energy providers.

  • A rating (red label) given to a household appliance based on its efficiency, allowing you to compare the energy efficiency of similar appliances at a glance.

  • A rating (blue label) based on a US system that is found on some appliance. A star rating is given to a household appliance based on its efficiency, allowing you to compare the energy efficiency of similar appliances at a glance.

  • Powersensor solution consisting of one sensor and at least one plug. Monitors grid consumption and net solar.

  • Termination fee, fee owed for terminating a contract.

  • The excess solar energy that is exported back to the grid from a business or home’s solar system for a feed-in tariff.

  • The idea that Powersensor can be upgraded/switched from one solution to the other depending on the needs of the business or homeowner.

  • An agreed amount paid to customers for any electricity produced by their solar power system that is fed back to the grid.

  • An additional plug that is added to a Solution to amplify the signal in the case that there is distance or obstruction between the sensors, or the sensors and a plug that can be attached to a preferred load.

  • Producer of electricity. Power stations, solar farms, etc.

  • An Australian Government renewable energy accreditation scheme which allows energy retailers to buy renewable energy for homes and businesses.

  • The electrical grid is an interconnected network, delivering electricity from suppliers to customers. Generators within the grid produce electricity, while high-voltage transmission lines carry power from sources to request centres and delivery lines connect individual customers.

  • A solar system that is directly connected/fed into the electricity grid.

  • The ability to see all aspects of your solar production from export to self-consumption, allows for Powersensor customers to see the whole of their solar production and where the energy is going.

  • An appliance where the electrical cable comes furnished with the appliance and is physically connected or wired into the household wiring. This appliance cannot be moved or attached to a powerpoint.

  • The idea that Powersensor customers can see the whole of their generation, production, and consumption all in one place within the Powersensor app.

  • The energy that is taken from the grid to power a home or business.

  • A solar inverter converts DC electricity (the energy produced by solar panels) into AC electricity.

  • The idea that Powersensor Solutions can be used with any solar inverter regardless of make or year.

  • A measure of power, 1000 Watts.

  • A measure of energy(100 Watts) over a period of time (1 hr), this is the measurement used on your energy bill.

  • The power used by a certain household appliance.

  • The practice of re-adjusting your energy usage so that you are consuming more during the day (when your solar panels are producing the most energy).

  • A feature built into some solar panels ensures that they are always working at their maximum efficiency, no matter the weather or conditions.

  • A measure of power, 1000 kW.

  • A device that records the movement of electricity into/out of (net metering) a home or business.

  • When meter readers come to your address to read the amount of energy used, which is displayed on your meter. If you have a smart meter, this number is sent directly to your distributor. This information is used for billing purposes.

  • A unique 10 or 11 digit number assigned to the electricity connection at each residential address. This can be found on your energy bill and is not the same as your meter number.

  • The billing arrangement with your energy retailer that governs how you will be credited for the solar energy that you feed back into the grid. The measurement of the net amount of energy consumed minus the energy fed back into the grid.

  • The amount of time it takes a Powersensor customer to accrue the amount of savings equal to their Powersensor Solution RRP (Recommended Retail Price).

  • The time of day when electricity usage is at its highest.

  • The time of day when the sun is at its brightest and most intense, creating more opportunity for solar energy production.

  • The process of generating electricity from a cell that is exposed to light.

  • A group of PV (solar) panels wired together to create a much larger area of PV cells.

  • The electrical component of a solar panel which converts visible light into DC energy.

  • Photovoltaic solar system or Solar System – a system that converts energy generated from sunlight into electrical energy.

  • The measure of how quickly energy is used, amount of energy used divided by the time it took to use that energy. Measured in Watts, Kilowatts, Megawatts, etc.

  • An agreement between a generator and a purchaser of energy. Most often used for the sale and supply of renewable energy.

  • Referring to an appliance which is ideal for the Powersensor’s initial learning phase - such as a kettle, toaster, or washing machine.

  • Energy derived from a sustainable source (the source is not depleted when energy is produced) for example solar and wind energy.

  • A Western Australian government program that is no longer available, as it has been replaced by the DEBS program.

  • An Australian government scheme to reduce carbon emissions on a national level by increasing infrastructure for renewable energy sources.

  • Resellers - online or physical stores which act as a third party to sell Powersensor’s products to customers.

  • Organisations that deliver electricity to homes and businesses. Examples include Origin and AGL.

  • The amount of solar that is produced by your system that you use to power appliances (displayed as the yellow segment in the Powersensor app).

  • The small, white device that is attached to your inverter or meter via adhesive strip or silicone strap.

  • A component of time-of-use energy plans. The shoulder period is when electricity costs a bit less than the peak period but a bit more than the off-peak period.

  • An energy agreement the cost of energy doesn’t change regardless of peak, shoulder, and off-peak times.

  • Created as part of an Australian government program called the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme to provide financial incentive to homes and businesses for installing solar/renewable energy systems.

  • An electricity meter which measures when and how much electricity is used by a home or business. It sends this information back to the retailer automatically, so that the meter does not have to be manually read.

  • A website or program which helps customers gauge what type and size of solar system they need based on household size and energy needs.

  • The silicon components used to make solar panels. See Photovoltaic Cell.

  • Renewable energy, produced by a solar PV system.

  • A solution that provides real-time monitoring of solar generation and home consumption.

  • A panel covered in solar (photovoltaic) cells which converts sunlight into electricity.

  • The specific direction or placement of a solar panel which can determine how much sunlight it is exposed to throughout the day. The optimum orientation should be free of obstructions.

  • Any arrangement of Sensors and WiFi Plugs configured to serve the monitoring needs of a specific business or home setup.

  • A fixed daily cost of supplying energy to a home or business.

  • The variable part of an energy bill, how much you are charged for electricity by unit (kWh). See Variable Charge

  • A specific type of energy tariff that changes the charged amount depending on the time of day at which the energy is imported.

  • The consumption of electricity.

  • Electronic certificates created under the VEU program that can be sold to energy retailers for participating in activities related to residential energy efficiency installs.

  • The different screens in the Powersensor app (Now, Historical, Appliances, Devices).

  • The base measurement of power.

  • A facility allowing computers, smartphones, or other devices to connect to the internet/communicate with one another wirelessly while within range of a certain area.

  • The plug portion of the Powersensor solution that fits into a standard powerpoint. Preferred load appliances should be attached to the primary WiFi Plug, but others can be installed to monitor different appliances. The WiFi plug communicates information between the cloud, the Powersensor app, and the sensors via WiFi and Bluetooth signals.

  • A demand tariff (AKA a capacity charge) is a component of electricity billing where the daily charge is set by the highest power demand in a specific time period.

  • The demand charge reflects a household's maximum electricity usage.

  • A demand tariff (AKA a capacity charge) is a component of electricity billing where the daily charge is set by the highest power demand at a specific time, for example, between 3 pm and 9 pm.

    A peak demand charge is a little like the standing charge (the cost of having electricity supply available) you pay with residential connections. Only, it is potentially significantly higher.

    The easiest way to understand how a capacity charge works is that it’s based not on how long you use an appliance but on the load of the appliance or combination of appliances. It could be over a reasonably short duration of use.

  • Electricity demand usage is the amount of electricity that you use in a given period of time. Your electricity provider will charge you based on your electricity demand usage.

  • If you have a single rate tariff, you pay the same electricity price regardless of what time of day you use it. However, energy retailers still consider these prices ‘peak usage’. This is especially true if you have a controlled load whereby you pay for hot water heating or your pool pump at a reduced rate.

    If you have a time-of-use tariff, you pay different prices for electricity depending on what time of day you use it. In this instance, your bill's ‘peak usage’ component will reflect the amount of energy used during peak electricity times.

  • Measured as a single peak over 30 minutes during the demand window.

  • Maximum demand is the expected peak load in an electrical system,

  • Appliances can account for around 25% of home energy use. Appliances that can consumption more energy are:

    • Fridge

    • Oven

    • Washing Machine

    • Clothes Dryer

    • Air Conditioner

    • Home Entertainment

    • Pool Pump