Glossary
Glossary G to L
G:
Generation (Electricity) - Process of producing electric energy by transforming other forms of energy.
Generator - Machine used to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy.
Gigawatt (GW) - The unit of electrical power equal to one thousand-million watts, or one thousand megawatts.
Grid - Matrix of an electrical distribution system, the National Grid in the UK.
H:
There are no items for 'H' at the moment.
I:
Installed capacity - The total generating units' capacities in a power plant or on a total utility system. The capacity can be based on the nameplate rating or the declared net (dependable) capacity (DNC).
Intermittent resources - Resources whose output depends on some other factor that cannot be controlled by the utility e.g. wind or sun. Thus, the capacity varies by day and by hour.
J:
There are no items for 'J' at the moment.
K:
Kilowatt (kW) - The electrical unit of power equal to 1,000 watts.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh) - The basic unit of electric energy equal to one kilowatt of power supplied to or taken from an electric circuit for one hour.
L:
Load - The amount of electric power delivered or required at any specified point or points on a system. Load originates primarily at the power consuming equipment of the customer.
Load factor - The ratio of the average load supplied to the peak or maximum load during a designated period. Similar to capacity factor, but more often used when describing conventional plant.
Losses - The general term applied to energy (kWh) and capacity (kW) lost in the operation of an electric system. Losses occur principally as energy transformations from kWh to waste-heat in electrical conductors and apparatus.
