International Electrotechnical Commission
Glossary

Terms defined in IEC 61836


3.1.1amorphous photovoltaic material
3.1.2amorphous silicon
3.1.3anti-reflective coating
3.1.4back surface field effect
3.1.5band gap energy
3.1.6barrier energy
3.1.7bus lines
3.1.8bypass diode (on a module level)
3.1.9cell
3.1.10cell barrier
3.1.11cell junction
3.1.12CIS photovoltaic cell
3.1.13compound semiconductor photovoltaic cell
3.1.14conversion efficiency
3.1.15crystalline silicon
3.1.16current
3.1.17Czochralski process
3.1.18dark current
3.1.19device
3.1.20diffusion layer
3.1.21directional solidification
3.1.22donor (in photovoltaic cells)
3.1.23dopant (in photovoltaic cells)
3.1.24dye-sensitized photovoltaic cell
3.1.25effect
3.1.26electromagnetic casting
3.1.27energy gap
3.1.28float zone melting
3.1.29grid lines
3.1.30heterojunction
3.1.31hot spot
3.1.32ingot manufacturing process
3.1.33integrated type photovoltaic cell
3.1.34junction (of semiconductors)
3.1.35light confinement effect
3.1.36material
3.1.37metallisation line
3.1.38microcrystalline silicon
3.1.39module
3.1.40multicrystalline silicon
3.1.41multijunction photovoltaic cell
3.1.42organic photovoltaic cell
3.1.43photovoltaic, photovoltaics
3.1.44PIN junction
3.1.45PN junction
3.1.46PN junction photovoltaic cell
3.1.47polycrystalline silicon
3.1.48power
3.1.49primary reference photovoltaic cell
3.1.50reference photovoltaic cell
3.1.51reference photovoltaic device
3.1.52reference photovoltaic module
3.1.53ribbon
3.1.54Schottky barrier photovoltaic cell
3.1.55Schottky junction
3.1.56secondary reference photovoltaic cell
3.1.57semiconductor material
3.1.58silicon
3.1.59silicon photovoltaic cell
3.1.60single crystalline silicon
3.1.61solar photovoltaic, solar photovoltaics
3.1.62stacked photovoltaic cell
3.1.63tandem photovoltaic cell
3.1.64transparent conducting oxide layer
3.1.65textured surface
3.1.66thin film photovoltaic cell
3.1.67transparent electrode
3.1.68wafer
3.2.1array
3.2.2array cable
3.2.3array junction box
3.2.4automatic start/stop
3.2.5blocking diode
3.2.6bypass diode (on a PV system level)
3.2.7commutation (static inverters)
3.2.8current control type inverter
3.2.9current stiff type inverter
3.2.10DC conditioner
3.2.11DC main cable
3.2.12generator junction box
3.2.13high frequency link type inverter
3.2.14input voltage operating range
3.2.15inverter
3.2.16junction box
3.2.17lead-acid battery
3.2.18line commutation
3.2.19line commutation type
3.2.20non-islanding inverter
3.2.21photovoltaic
3.2.22power conditioner
3.2.23pulse width modulation control
3.2.24self-commutation
3.2.25self-commutation type
3.2.26soft-start
3.2.27solar photovoltaic
3.2.28stand-alone inverter
3.2.29string cable
3.2.30string inverter
3.2.31supply cable
3.2.32support structure
3.2.33transformerless type inverter
3.2.34utility frequency link type inverter
3.2.35utility interactive inverter
3.2.36utility interface disconnect switch
3.2.37valve regulated lead-acid battery
3.2.38vented lead-acid battery
3.2.39voltage control type inverter
3.2.40voltage stiff type inverter
3.3.1AC/AC interface
3.3.2AC photovoltaic module
3.3.3AC side
3.3.4AC side switchover
3.3.5array field
3.3.6assembly
3.3.7backfeed operation
3.3.8balance of system
3.3.9centralized photovoltaic system
3.3.10collective electrification system
3.3.11DC/DC interface
3.3.12DC interface
3.3.13DC side
3.3.14DC side switchover
3.3.15dispatchable electric system
3.3.16dispersed array system
3.3.17dispersed photovoltaic system
3.3.18distributed generation PV system
3.3.19distributed generation system
3.3.20distributed generator
3.3.21distribution system
3.3.22domestic photovoltaic system
3.3.23electrical utility
3.3.24electrify
3.3.25generator
3.3.26genset
3.3.27grid
3.3.28grid backed-up photovoltaic system
3.3.29grid-connected operation
3.3.30grid-connected photovoltaic system
3.3.31hybrid photovoltaic system
3.3.32individual electrification system
3.3.33interface
3.3.34island
3.3.35islanding operation
3.3.36isolated operation
3.3.37isolated photovoltaic system
3.3.38isolated site
3.3.39load offset system
3.3.40master control and monitoring sub-system
3.3.41merchant power system
3.3.42micropower system
3.3.43mode
3.3.44monitor and control sub-system
3.3.45multi-dispersed photovoltaic system
3.3.46multi-source photovoltaic system
3.3.47non-dispatchable power system
3.3.48non-domestic photovoltaic system
3.3.49off-grid operation
3.3.50off-grid photovoltaic system
3.3.51on-grid
3.3.52operation (photovoltaics)
3.3.53panel
3.3.54parallel circuit of modules
3.3.55parallel operation
3.3.56photovoltaic
3.3.57photovoltaic components
3.3.58photovoltaic installation
3.3.59photovoltaic energy system
3.3.60photovoltaic plant
3.3.61photovoltaic power system
3.3.62photovoltaic system
3.3.63power conditioning sub-system
3.3.64power system
3.3.65remote site
3.3.66safety disconnect control and monitoring sub-system
3.3.67site
3.3.68solar home system
3.3.69solar photovoltaic
3.3.70stand-alone operation
3.3.71stand-alone photovoltaic system
3.3.72storage sub-system
3.3.73string
3.3.74sub-array
3.3.75sub-system
3.3.76system
3.3.77utility grid
3.3.78utility interactive photovoltaic system
3.3.79utility interface
3.4.1acceptance test conditions
3.4.2ampere-hour efficiency
3.4.3aperture area
3.4.4area
3.4.5array capture losses
3.4.6array efficiency
3.4.7array yield
3.4.8assumed non-sunshine period
3.4.9BOS losses
3.4.10capacity
3.4.11cell area
3.4.12cell junction temperature
3.4.13charging efficiency
3.4.14coefficient
3.4.15collection efficiency
3.4.16conditions
3.4.17conversion efficiency
3.4.18conversion factor
3.4.19current density (photovoltaic cell)
3.4.20current-temperature coefficient
3.4.21current-voltage characteristic
3.4.22DC ripple factor
3.4.23dependency on solar energy
3.4.24depth of discharge
3.4.25effective energy efficiency
3.4.26efficiency
3.4.27electromagnetic interference
3.4.28energy
3.4.29equivalent photovoltaic cell temperature
3.4.30fill factor
3.4.31final annual yield
3.4.32final system yield
3.4.33fixed voltage operation
3.4.34installed capacity
3.4.35installed power
3.4.36inverter efficiency
3.4.37inverter mismatch loss
3.4.38linearity
3.4.39load
3.4.40losses
3.4.41maximum input voltage
3.4.42maximum power
3.4.43mean array efficiency
3.4.44mismatch error
3.4.45mismatch loss
3.4.46module area
3.4.47module mismatch loss
3.4.48module packing factor
3.4.49module surface temperature
3.4.50module temperature
3.4.51no load loss
3.4.52nominal operating photovoltaic cell temperature
3.4.53nominal system power
3.4.54non-uniformity
3.4.55normalised losses
3.4.56open-circuit voltage (photovoltaic devices)
3.4.57operating conditions
3.4.58optional test conditions
3.4.59overall system efficiency
3.4.60overload capability
3.4.61partial efficiency
3.4.62partial load efficiency
3.4.63partial state of charge
3.4.64peak power
3.4.65peak sun hours
3.4.66performance ratio
3.4.67photovoltaic energy
3.4.68power efficiency
3.4.69rated
3.4.70reference yield
3.4.71relative spectral response
3.4.72relative spectral response under load
3.4.73residual capacity
3.4.74reverse power flow
3.4.75safe extra low voltage
3.4.76self-discharge
3.4.77series resistance
3.4.78shadow cover rate
3.4.79sheet resistance
3.4.80short-circuit current
3.4.81shunt resistance
3.4.82spectral responsivity
3.4.83standard operating conditions
3.4.84standard test conditions
3.4.85standby loss
3.4.86state of charge
3.4.87system efficiency
3.4.88system output energy
3.4.89system power
3.4.90test conditions
3.4.91total harmonic distortion
3.4.92voltage-irradiance coefficient
3.4.93voltage-temperature coefficient
3.4.94watt-hour efficiency
3.4.95weighted average conversion efficiency
3.4.96yield
3.5.1absolute radiometer
3.5.2monochromatic light source
3.5.3photovoltaic array simulator
3.5.4pulse type solar simulator
3.5.5pyranometer
3.5.6pyrheliometer
3.5.7radiometer
3.5.8solar simulator
3.5.9spectroradiometer
3.5.10steady-state type solar simulator
3.5.11temporal simulator instability
3.6.1air mass index
3.6.2albedo
3.6.3ambient temperature
3.6.4angle
3.6.5annealing conditioning
3.6.6aperture angle
3.6.7atmospheric
3.6.8azimuth angle
3.6.9conditioning
3.6.10damp heat test
3.6.11diffuse irradiance
3.6.12diffuse irradiation
3.6.13direct irradiance
3.6.14direct irradiation
3.6.15environmental test
3.6.16global irradiance
3.6.17global irradiation
3.6.18hail test
3.6.19hot-spot endurance test
3.6.20humidity freeze test
3.6.21impact test
3.6.22in-plane irradiance
3.6.23insulation test
3.6.24integrated irradiance
3.6.25irradiance
3.6.26irradiation
3.6.27light soaking conditioning
3.6.28mechanical load test
3.6.29outdoor exposure test
3.6.30ozone content
3.6.31plane of array irradiance
3.6.32precipitable water vapour content
3.6.33reference spectral irradiance distribution
3.6.34robustness of terminations test
3.6.35salt mist test
3.6.36spectral irradiance
3.6.37spectral irradiance distribution
3.6.38spectral photon irradiance
3.6.39spectrum
3.6.40solar
3.6.41solar elevation angle
3.6.42test irradiance
3.6.43thermal cycling test
3.6.44tilt angle
3.6.45total irradiance
3.6.46total irradiation
3.6.47transmissivity
3.6.48turbidity
3.6.49twist test
3.6.50UV test
3.6.51wet leakage current test
3.6.52white bias light
3.7.1acceptance tests
3.7.2applicant
3.7.3calibration
3.7.4cell manufacturer
3.7.5certificate of conformity
3.7.6certification
3.7.7certified reference photovoltaic material
3.7.8conformity
3.7.9inspection
3.7.10interlaboratory testing
3.7.11laboratory
3.7.12licensee (for certification)
3.7.13license for certification
3.7.14manufacturer
3.7.15memorandum of understanding
3.7.16module manufacturer
3.7.17participant
3.7.18photovoltaic elements/equipment
3.7.19proficiency testing
3.7.20qualification test
3.7.21quality manual
3.7.22quality system
3.7.23reference material
3.7.24reference standard
3.7.25standard
3.7.26system producer
3.7.27test and calibration procedures manual
3.7.28testing
3.7.29testing laboratory
3.7.30testing laboratory (third-party)
3.7.31test method
3.7.32test
3.7.33test sequence
3.7.34third-party certification
3.7.35traceability
3.7.36type approval
3.7.37type test
3.7.38uniformity
3.7.39verification
3.7.40verification testing
3.8.1active aperture area
3.8.2aperture area efficiency
3.8.3cell
3.8.4concentration ratio
3.8.5concentrator
3.8.6dual-axis tracker
3.8.7efficiency
3.8.8Fresnel lens
3.8.9geometric concentration ratio
3.8.10lens efficiency
3.8.11pointing axis
3.8.12radiant concentration ratio
3.8.13receiver
3.8.14single-axis tracker
3.8.15tracker
3.9.1turnkey price
3.9.2project developer
3.9.3general specification
3.9.4engineering consultant
3.9.5project co-ordinator or general contractor
3.9.6sub-contractor
3.9.7operator
3.9.8maintenance contractor
3.9.9user
3.10.1demonstration programme
3.10.2demonstration project
3.10.3field test programme
3.10.4market deployment initiative
3.10.5PV power system market