Glossary
This glossary presents definitions of selected terms and summaries of concepts involved in state energy policy and planning. Terms with all letters capitalized are Connecticut-specific definitions from "An Act Concerning Electric Restructuring", PA 98-28. Other glossaries are available with more comprehensive coverage, including CGS Sec. 16-2 and a glossary from US Department of Energy, Energy Information Agency.
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Acid Rain
also known as "acid deposition," means acidic aerosols in the atmosphere that are removed from the atmosphere by wet deposition (rain, snow, fog) or dry deposition (particles sticking to vegetation). Acidic aerosols are present in the atmosphere primarily due to discharges of gaseous sulfur oxides (sulfur dioxide) and nitrogen oxides from fossil fuel power plants and other anthropogenic and natural sources. In the atmosphere these gases combine with water to form acids.
Apparent Power
the product of the voltage (in volts) and the current (in amperes). It comprises both active and reactive power. It is measured in "volt-amperes" and often expressed in "kilovolt-amperes" (kVA) or "megavolt-amperes" (MVA).
Baseload
minimum amount of electric power delivered or required over a given period of time at a constant rate. On a load profile, this is the level of demand or usage that is seen as a minimum on most hours, including evenings, thereby forming the "base" that peak loads rest on.
Biomass Energy
means energy produced by combusting renewable biomass materials (organic nonfossil material of biological origin such as trees and plants). The carbon dioxide emitted from burning biomass will not increase total atmospheric carbon dioxide if this consumption is done on a sustainable basis (i.e., if in a given period of time, regrowth of biomass takes up as much carbon dioxide as is released from biomass combustion). Biomass energy is often suggested as a replacement for fossil fuel combustion which has large greenhouse gas emissions.
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Carbon Dioxide
or CO2 is the greenhouse gas; the concentration of which is most directly affected by human activities. CO2 also serves as the reference to compare all other greenhouse gases are compared,(see carbon dioxide equivalents). The major source of CO2 emissions is fossil fuel combustion. CO2 emissions are also a product of forest clearing, biomass burning, and non-energy production processes such as cement production. Atmospheric concentrations of CO2 have been increasing at a rate of about 0.5% per year and are now about 30% above pre-industrial levels.
Climate Change
(also referred to as 'global climate change'). The term 'climate change' is sometimes used to refer to all forms of climatic inconsistency, but because the Earth's climate is never static, the term is more properly used to imply a significant change from one climatic condition to another. In some cases, 'climate change' has been used synonymously with the term, 'global warming'; scientists however, tend to use the term in the wider sense to also include natural changes in climate. See also Enhanced Greenhouse Effect.
CCAP - Climate Change Action Plan
refers to the
CHP - Combined Heat and Power/Combined Cycle
[1][1] Center for Clean Air Policy, 2004.
is largely synonymous with "cogeneration," and is being used as such by federal agencies and others. CHP is the simultaneous production of electricity and heat using a single fuel. The heat produced from the electricity-generating process is captured and used to produce high-and low-level steam. The steam can be used as a heat source for both industrial and domestic purposes and in steam turbines to generate additional electricity (i.e., combined-cycle power).[1][1] See also U.S. Combined Heat and Power Association, USCHPA
COGENERATION TECHNOLOGY
means the use for the generation of electricity of exhaust steam, waste steam, heat or resultant energy from an industrial, commercial or manufacturing plant or process, or the use of exhaust steam, waste steam or heat from a thermal power plant for an industrial, commercial or manufacturing plant or process, but shall not include steam or heat developed solely for electrical power generation. See "Combined Heat and Power, CHP."
Coincident Demand
The sume of two or more demands that occur in the same time interval.
Conservation
steps taken to cause less energy to be used than would otherwise be the case. These steps may involve improved efficiency, avoidance of waste, reduced consumption, etc. They may involve installing equipment (such as a computer to ensure efficient energy use), modifying equipment (such as making a boiler more efficient), adding insulation, changing behavior patterns, etc.
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DSM - Demand Side Management/Demand Response
means planning, implementation, and evaluation of utility-sponsored programs to influence the amount or timing of demand-side (refering to activities related to the use of energy as opposed to the supply of energy) energy use, including peak demands and load shapes. DSM can include: 1) energy efficiency programs that, for example, promote and install efficient appliances, lighting, heating, and industrial processes; 2) utility direct load control of specific customer loads and end uses; and 3) rate designs such as time-of-use rates, interruptible rates, and real-time pricing.
DG - Distributed Generation, Distributed Power, Distributed Resources
refers to distributed energy, load management, energy efficiency, energy storage and other small-scale technologies installed by energy users or targeted by distribution companies or energy suppliers to localized areas within an electric distribution system.
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ELECTRIC_DISTRIBUTION_COMPANY
OR "DISTRIBUTION COMPANY" means any person providing electric transmission or distribution services within the state, including an electric company, subject to subparagraph (f) of this subdivision, but does not include: (a) a private power producer, as defined in section 16-243b; (b) a municipal electric utility established under chapter 101, other than a participating municipal electric utility; (c) a municipal electric energy cooperative established under chapter 101a; (d) an electric cooperative established under chapter 597; (e) any other electric utility owned, leased, maintained, operated, managed or controlled by any unit of local government under any general statute or special act; (f) after an electric company has been unbundled in accordance with the provisions of section 5 of this act, a generation entity or affiliate of the former electric company; or (g) an electric supplier.
ELECTRIC_DISTRIBUTION_SERVICES
the owning, leasing, maintaining, operating, managing or controlling of poles, wires, conduits or other fixtures along public highways or streets, for the distribution of electricity, or electric distribution-related services.
ELECTRIC_GENERATION_SERVICES
ELECTRIC_SUPPLIER
means any person, including an electric aggregator or participating municipal electric utility that is licensed by the Department of Public Utility Control in accordance with section 16-245, as amended by this act, that provides electric generation services to end use customers in the state using the transmission or distribution facilities of an electric distribution company, regardless of whether or not such person takes title to such generation services, but does not include: (a) a municipal electric utility established under chapter 101, other than a participating municipal electric utility; (b) a municipal electric energy cooperative established under chapter 101a; (c) an electric cooperative established under chapter 597; (d) any other electric utility owned, leased, maintained, operated, managed or controlled by any unit of local government under any general statute or special act; or (e) an electric distribution company in its provision of electric generation services in accordance with subsection (a) or, prior to january 1, 2004, subsection (c) of section 20 of this act.
ELECTRIC_TRANSMISSION_SERVICES
means electric transmission or transmission-related services.
Emissions
are releases of pollutants into the atmosphere by stationary sources such as power plants or mobile sources such as cars.
Energy_Efficiency
means using less energy to perform the same function (that is, doing the same with less). Energy efficiency activities are distinguished from demand-side management (DSM) in that DSM is generally refers to utility-sponsored and -financed programs and may also include load management measures, while energy efficiency is a broader term, not limited to any particular sponsor, energy type or sector.
Energy_Service_Company (ESCO)
means a company that specializes in undertaking energy efficiency or load management measures for energy users, often under a contractual arrangement whereby the ESCO shares the value of energy savings with their customer.
Exit Fee
means "a fee to be paid by customers who have installed self-generation facilities in order to offset any loss or potential loss in revenue from such facilities toward the competitive transition assessment, the systems benefits charge the conservation and load management assessment collected under section 33 of this act and the Renewable Energy Investment Fund assessment..." (SEE Section 69 of the Restructuring Act.)
Externality
means a cost or benefit that falls on a third party, due to a situation in which an individual or firm takes an action but does not bear all the costs (negative externality) or receive all the benefits (positive externality) that result from its action. In such a situation, the value of the externality is not reflected in the price of goods sold by a firm. A potential public policy response to such a situation can be to attempt to "internalize" this value by imposing an "adder" of some kind on the price of such goods, where the adder is intended to represent the "monetized" value of the externality. Implementation of a policy response to the existence of an environmental externality, such as damage from emissions of an air pollutant, may involve estimating the value of external costs which are difficult to measure and monetize, especially in the case of an external cost imposed on the environment itself rather than on a person.
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FMCC - Federally Mandated Congestion Charge
line item seen on some electric bills that covers increased costs due to locational marginal pricing required by many independent service operators (ISOs).
Fossil_Fuel
is a general term for combustible geologic deposits of carbon in reduced (organic) form and of biological origin, including coal, oil, natural gas, oil shales, and tar sands.
Fossil_Fuel_Combustion
means the burning of coal, oil (including gasoline), or natural gas. This burning, usually to generate energy, releases carbon dioxide, as well as combustion by products that can include unburned hydrocarbons, methane, and carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide, methane, and many of the unburned hydrocarbons slowly oxidize into carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Common sources of fossil fuel combustion include cars and electric utilities.
Fuel_Cells
are devices that produce electricity and heat by combining fuel and oxygen in an electrochemical reaction. Fuel cells can operate on a variety of fuels including natural gas, propane, landfill gas, and hydrogen. Unlike traditional generating technologies, fuel cells do not use a combustion process to convert fuel into heat and mechanical energy. Rather, a fuel cell's direct conversion of chemical energy into heat and electrical energy results in quiet operation, low emissions, and high efficiencies. Nearly all commercially installed fuel cells operate in a cogeneration mode. In addition, fuel cells provide very reliable, premium quality electrical power and are therefore potentially attractive to customers operating sensitive electronic equipment.
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Generating Capacity
the rated continuous load-carrying ability, expressed in megawatts (MW) or megavolt-amperes (MVA) of generation, transmission, or other electrical equipment. Types of capacity include baseload, peaking net and installed.
Global Warming
refers to increases in the near surface temperature of the earth. Global warming has occurred in the distant past as the result of natural influences, but the term is most often used to refer to the warming predicted to occur as a result of increased emissions of greenhouse gases. Scientists generally agree that the earth's surface has warmed by about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past 140 years. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently concluded that increased concentrations of greenhouse gases are causing an increase in the earth's surface temperature and that increased concentrations of sulfate aerosols have led to relative cooling in some regions, generally over and downwind of heavily industrialized areas. Also see Greenhouse Effect.
Greenhouse_Effect
is the effect produced as greenhouse gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through the earth's atmosphere, but prevent most of the outgoing infra-red radiation from the surface and lower atmosphere from escaping into outer space. This process occurs naturally and has kept the earth's temperature about 59 degrees F warmer than it would otherwise be. Current life on earth could not be sustained without the natural greenhouse effect. However, the concern about the Greenhouse Effect is the increasing global warming predicted to occur as a result of increased emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil fuel power plants and other emission sources.
Greenhouse_Gas
refers to carbon dioxide and other air emissions that contribute to the Greenhouse Effect, specifically, any gas that absorbs infra-red radiation in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), halogenated fluorocarbons (HCFCs) , ozone (O3), perfluorinated carbons (PFCs), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Also see Greenhouse Effect.
Green_Power
means sales and/or purchases of power from renewable or otherwise environmentally desirable resources and, in some instances, efficiency services. The term is used in various ways by different stakeholders and is not formally defined. More rigorous specifications are set by independent rating organizations, such as the Center For Resource Solutions, which has developed the Green-e Renewable Electricity Program. Additional perspectives on this term are offered by the Environmental Defense Fund ("Comparing "Green" Electricity Products in California"), the Natural Resources Defense Council ("Choosing Clean Power in California") and the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technology.
Grid
a system of interconnected power lines and generators that is managed so that the generators are dispatched as needed to meet the requirements of the customers connected to the grid at various points. Gridco is sometimes used to identify an independent company responsible for the operation of the grid.
GWh - Gigawatthour
One billion watt hours.
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Interconnection Standards
refer to design and operating characteristics a distributed generation facility must meet in order to be interconnected to a distribution company's system.
kv - Kilovolt
One thousand volts (1,000). Distribution lines in residential areas usually are 12 kv (12,000 volts).
kVa -Kilovolt-ampere
a unit of apparent power, equal to 1,000 volt-amperes; the mathematical product of the volts and amperes in an electrical circuit.
kW - Kilowatt
One thousand watts. Kilowatthour (kWh): A measure of electricity defined as a unit of work or energy, measured as 1 kilowatt (1,000 watts) of power expended for 1 hour. One kWh is equivalent to 3,412 Btu.
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Load
the amount of electric power delivered or required at any specific point or points on a system, as demanded by an electricity-consuming system, or systems. A load curve or load profile shows the quantity of energy used by a consumer (load) at specific time intervals over a 24-hour period.
Load_Management
Steps taken to reduce power demand at peak load times or to shift some of it to off-peak times. This may be with reference to peak hours, peak days or peak seasons. The main affect on electric peaks is air-conditioning usage, which is therefore a prime target for load management efforts. Load management is achieved by persuading consumers to modify behavior or by using equipment that regulates some electric consumption.
LICAP - Locational Installed Capacity
mechanism that provides incentives for operators to build or keep open generation facilities for reliability.
LMP - Locational Marginal Pricing
is a pricing system which is based on the cost of supplying the next MW of load at a specific location considering the bid price for generation, the cost of transmission congestion, and the cost of losses. This system raises all wholesale power prices in a zone to a defined level, based on the cost of the most expensive source of power in that zone at a given time.
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MVA - Megavoltampere
millions of voltamperes, which are a measure of apparent power.
MW - Megawatt
one million watts of electricity.
Operating Capacity
The component of operable capacity that is in operation at the beginning of the period.
Peak Load/Peak Demand
means the electric load that corresponds to a maximum level of electric demand in a specified time period
Performance-Based Regulation (PBR)
refers to any utility rate-setting mechanism which attempts to link rewards (generally profits) to desired results or targets. PBR sets rates, or components of rates, for a period of time based on external indices rather than a utility's cost-of-service. Other definitions include light-handed regulation which is less costly and less subject to debate and litigation. A form of rate regulation which provides utilities with better incentives to reduce their costs than does cost-of-service regulation..
Photovoltaic (PV)
refers to solid-state or semiconductor electrical devices (such as solar cells and arrays of solar panels) that convert light directly into direct current electricity. Inverters or static power converters are often used to convert the DC into usable 60 Hertz AC. PV panels are modular, lightweight, contain no moving parts (unless tracking devices are used), release no emissions and use no water.
Pollution Prevention
means source reduction, as defined under the federal Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, and other practices that reduce or eliminate the creation of pollutants through: increased efficiency in the use of raw materials, energy, water, or other resources, or the protection of natural resources by conservation. In the energy sector, pollution prevention can reduce environmental damages from extraction, processing, transport, and combustion of fuels. Pollution prevention approaches include: increasing efficiency in energy use; substituting environmentally benign fuel sources; and design changes that reduce the demand for energy. Under Section 6602(b) of the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, Congress established a national policy that: pollution should be prevented or reduced at the source whenever feasible; pollution that cannot be prevented should be recycled in an environmentally safe manner whenever feasible; pollution that cannot be prevented or recycled should be treated in an environmentally safe manner whenever feasible; and disposal or other release into the environment should be employed only as a last resort and should be conducted in an environmentally safe manner. Under the Pollution Prevention Act, recycling, energy recover, treatment, and disposal are not included within the definition of pollution prevention. Recycling that is conducted in an environmentally sound manner shares many of the advantages of prevention--it can reduce the need for treatment or disposal, and conserve energy and resources.
Preferential Criteria
standards developed by CEAB that will support and balance energy reliability, environmental and natural resource protection, cost effectiveness and quality of life goals.
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REGIONAL INDEPENDENT SYSTEM OPERATOR
in New Englansd this refers to the "ISO-New England, Inc.", or its successor organization as approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
RMR - Reliability Must Run
The ISO will allow utilities to generate power that is needed to ensure system reliability. This includes generation: 1} Required to meet the reliability criteria for interconnected systems operation; 2) Needed to meet load (demand) in constrained areas; and 3) Needed to provide voltage or security support of the ISO or of a local area.
Renewable_Fuel_Sources or Renewable Energy
means energy derived from wind, hydro power, biomass or other solar resources, and in
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE - CLASS_I
means energy derived from solar power; wind power; a fuel cell; methane gas from landfills; or a biomass facility, provided such facility begins operating on or after
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE - CLASS_II
means energy derived from a trash-to-energy facility; or a biomass facility that does not meet the criteria for a class I renewable energy source or a hydropower facility, provided such facility has a license issued by the federal energy regulatory commission, has been exempted from such licensure, is the subject of a license application or notice of intent to seek a license from said commission, has been found by the commissioner of environmental protection to be operating in compliance with the federal clean water act, or has been found by the Canadian environmental assessment agency to be operating in compliance with said agency's resource objectives.
Retail_Competition
means a system under which more than one electric provider can sell to retail customers, and retail customers are allowed to buy from more than one provider, through direct access to distribution company facilities.
Retail_Energy_Market
means a market in which electricity, natural gas and/or other energy commodities and services are sold directly to the end-use customer by suppliers whose prices are subject to market forces of supply and demand rather than being set by the regulatory process.
Self-Generation Facility
means a facility that generates electricity, is owned or operated by an entity other than an electric distribution company, as defined in section 16-1 of the general statutes, as amended by section 1 of this act, or electric supplier, as defined in said section 16-1, and operates in parallel with other generation on the distribution system of an electric distribution company and which reduces or eliminates the purchase of electricity through the distribution network. (See Distributed Generation.)
Standard Offer
means the provision of electric generation and distribution services at a rate established by the DPUC to any customer who affirmatively chooses to receive electric generation services pursuant to the standard offer or does not or is unable to arrange for or maintain electric generation services with an electric supplier. The standard offer shall automatically terminate on January 1, 2004, unless extended by the General Assembly pursuant to section 74 of this act. See Sec. 20. (NEW) (a) (1) of the "Act Concerning Electric Restructuring", PA 98-28.
SMD - Standard Market Design
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) call for a single set of market rules that to eliminate the differences between regional electricity markets.
Standby Rates
mean rates customers may pay to a Distribution Company in order for it to maintain the capability to deliver power to meet customer loads in the event a customer's on-site distributed generation system goes down. Related rates include rates for maintenance and supplemental power.
State Action Plans
are plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that have been submitted to U.S. EPA by several states to date (see for example, "Fueling Vermont's Future, Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan and Vermont Greenhouse Gas Action Plan," July 1998, Pursuant to 30 VSA Para 202b). See Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP).
Supply-Side
refers to activities conducted on the utility's side of the customer meter. Activities designed to supply electric power to customers, rather than meeting load though energy efficiency measures or on-site generation on the customer side of the meter.
Sustainable
is a term used to characterize human activities that can be undertaken in such a manner as to not adversely affect environmental conditions (such as soil, water quality, climate, biodiversity) necessary to support those same activities in the future. More generally, sustainability refers to economic activity in today's world that does not interfere with the ability of future generations to enjoy their own economic prosperity, public health and natural environment. For example, Public Act 99-226, An Act Concerning Exemplary Environmental Management Systems, passed on
SBC - Systems Benefits Charge
the charge on each electric customer's bill that covers certain regulatory and energy public policy costs, such as public education and hardship protection.
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Tariff
is a document, approved by the responsible regulatory agency, listing the terms and conditions, including a schedule of prices, under which utility services will be provided.
Unbundling
means 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.
Universal Service
means electric service sufficient for basic needs (an evolving bundle of basic services) available to virtually all members of the population regardless of income.
Utility
means 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.
V - Volt
volt is the International System of Units (SI) measure of electric potential or electromotive force. A potential of one volt appears across a resistance of one ohm when a current of one ampere flows through that resistance. Reduced to SI base units, 1 V = 1 kg times m2 times s-3 times A-1 (kilogram meter squared per second cubed per ampere).
W-Watt
a unit of measure of electric power at a point in time, as capacity or demand. One watt of power maintained over time is equal to one joule per second. Some Christmas tree lights use one watt. The Watt is named after Scottish inventor James Watt and is capitalized when shortened to w and used with other abbreviations, as in kWh. WATT-HOUR One watt of power expended for one hour. One thousandth of a kilowatt-hour.
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Glossary Terminology Sources:
