Glossary

A value which refers to the probability of an outcome. The higher the “P” factor, the more likely that a certain outcome will be met or surpassed. Commonly used in wind or solar resource studies, a P factor may represent the minimum number  kWh which WTGs or solar panels of a certain nameplate rating at…

OMS includes wind farm OMS and onshore transmission OMS. Definitions of O, M and S are as follows: Operation: day-to-day management including all the work not covered under maintenance and service. For wind farm OMS, this includes cost for port facilities, buildings, management personnel, environmental monitoring and community engagement; Maintenance…

Windfarms constructed in bodies of water offshore, where higher wind speeds are able to generate greater electric energy. Wind turbine generators (WTGs) in any marine environment count as “offshore”

The structure used to transform and transfer the energy collected by the wind turbines to land in the most efficient manner. It may involve increasing the voltage, providing reactive compensation and converting the current from AC to DC. Some wind farms may have more than one offshore substation and equipment…

Energy captured from ocean waves, tides, currents, salinity gradients and ocean temperature differences. Wave energy converters capture the energy of surface waves to generate electricity; tidal stream generators use kinetic energy of moving water to power turbines; and tidal barrages are essentially dams that cross tidal estuaries and capture energy…

The principle behind tidal generation is similar to wind turbines, except that instead of wind turning the turbine blades, the process uses underwater current caused by tides. One of the benefits of tidal power over wind power is the predictability of tidal currents, enabling the developers to know exactly when…

Voluntary purchase of renewable energy – usually electricity, but also heat and transport fuels – by residential, commercial, government or industrial consumers, either directly from an energy trader or utility company, from a third-party renewable energy generator or indirectly via trading of renewable energy certificates (such as renewable energy credits,…

A policy which typically guarantees renewable generators specified payments per unit (e.g., USD per kWh) over a fixed period. Feed-in tariff (FiT)policies also may establish regulations by which generators can interconnect and sell power to the grid. Numerous options exist for defining the level of incentive, such as whether the…

A market mechanism which allows emitters (countries, companies or facilities) to buy emissions from or sell emissions to other emitters. Emissions trading is expected to bring down the costs of meeting emission targets by allowing those who can achieve reductions less expensively to sell excess reductions (e.g. reductions in excess…

The means by which electricity is traded between generators and suppliers (as well as some very large consumers).