A PLAIN-LANGUAGE GLOSSARY
A little clarity
goes a long way.
Short explanations for terms you may encounter in the learning center.
- Backup reserve
- Energy held back for priority needs instead of routine daily use.
- Battery capacity · kWh
- How much electrical energy a battery can store. Usable capacity may be less than the nameplate figure.
- Battery output · kW
- How quickly a battery can supply power. Capacity and power limits answer different questions.
- Coordinated schedule
- Timing flexible tasks while considering household priorities, available resources and equipment limits.
- Export credit
- The value credited for electricity sent from the home to the grid under the applicable tariff.
- Flexible load
- A task that can change timing within an acceptable window, such as some EV charging.
- Heat pump
- Equipment that moves heat from one place to another, rather than simply creating heat through electrical resistance.
- Hydronic
- A heating or cooling arrangement that carries thermal energy in water. Radiant floor heating is one possible use.
- Load
- Something using energy, such as cooking, heating, water pumping or charging a vehicle.
- Local control
- Supported coordination that runs at the property. Internet-based information and remote features still need the relevant connections.
- Peak and off-peak rates
- Different electricity prices at different times under a time-of-use tariff.
- Performance monitoring
- Following readings and equipment reports to understand changes over time.
- Property simulation
- A model using information about a particular home and candidate systems. It is more specific than the website’s illustrative day.
- Smart electrical panel
- A compatible panel or circuit-control arrangement that can provide information and, where supported, manage selected circuits.
- Thermal storage
- Stored heat, or stored cooling with suitable equipment, reserved for another time.
- Time-of-use tariff
- A rate plan in which electricity prices depend on when it is used.
- UV treatment
- Ultraviolet equipment used for disinfection in a suitably designed water-treatment system. It does not address every water-quality concern.