Calorific value

:
Calorific value is the heat per unit mass produced by complete combustion of a given
substance. Calorific values are used to express the energy values of fuels; usually these are
expressed in megajoules per kilogram. They are also used to measure the energy content of
foodstuffs; i.e. the energy produced when the food is oxidized in the body. The units here are
kilojoules per gram.

Capacity building
:
Capacity building is a process of developing skills and capabilities for technology innovation and
deployment in the relevant government, private-sector, academic, and civil institutions.

Capacity factor
:
Capacity factor is used to measure the productivity of a power production facility. It compares the
plant's actual production over a given period of time with the amount of power the plant would
have produced if it had run at full capacity for the same amount of time.
Capacity factor = actual amount of energy produced over time energy that would have
been produced if a plant operated at maximum output over the same time
For example, due to the fact that wind is not constant, the capacity factor of a wind turbine is
between 25 - 40%. Nuclear plants can achieve 90% capacity factor.
When calculating the annual electricity generation of a power plant, a capacity factor of the plant
should be taken into account:
Electricity generation = installed electric capacity x number of hours in the calendar year x
capacity factor
For example, a 1 MW wind turbine with a capacity factor of 25% will not produce 8 760 MWh in a
year, but only 1 MW x 8 760 h x 0.25 = 2 190 MWh.

Centralized electricity system

:
Centralized electricity systems are the most common means of generating and distributing
electricity in most countries around the world. In a centralized electricity system, the plant is
typically located some distance from where the power is required. Electricity is generated on large
scale then transmitted at high voltage via transmission lines often over great distances. Voltage
must then be stepped down to a distribution level, sometimes more than once, and further

transmitted to end customers. Between 5 and 10% grid losses are common as a result of
transmitting power over these large distances.
In centralized electricity systems, the waste heat produced by thermal power plants is typically
not used for useful purposes (e.g. for heating buildings or industrial processes) but released to
the environment.

Commercial energy
:
Commercial energy is energy that is subject to a commercial transaction and that can thus be
accounted for. In other words, commercial energy is energy that is traded in the market place and
exchanged at a market price.

Conventional energy
:
The term "conventional energy" typically refers to energy derived from fossil fuels (coal, oil,
natural gas), nuclear fuels, and large-scale hydropower facilities.

Decentralized energy system

:
In a decentralized energy (DE) system electricity production is at or near the point of use,
irrespective of size, technology or fuel used - both off-grid and on-grid. Decentralized energy
systems typically include high efficiency cogeneration (CHP), on-site renewable energy and
industrial energy recycling and on-site power. In DE systems improved energy efficiency can be
achieved due to reduced line losses and potential use of waste heat from thermal power generation.

Energy
:
Energy is the ability to do work and it is measured in joules (J). Other examples of energy units
are kilowatt-hour (kWh), calorie, and tonne of oil equivalent (toe).

Energy carriers
:
Energy carriers include electricity and heat as well as solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. They
occupy intermediate steps in the energy-supply chain between primary sources and end-use
applications. An energy carrier is thus a transmitter of energy.

Energy efficiency
:
Energy efficiency is the ratio of useful energy output of a system, conversion process or activity to
its energy input.

Energy intensity
:
Energy intensity is the ratio of energy consumption to economic or physical output. It gives an
indication of the effectiveness with which energy is being used to produce added value. At the
national level, energy intensity is the ratio of total domestic primary energy use or final energy use
to Gross Domestic Product.

Energy ladder
:
The energy ladder refers to the phenomenon of households and firms - and so, in aggregate,
countries - shifting from low-efficiency fuels to high-efficiency ones as income per capita
increases. Biomass fuels such as dung and fuel wood are at the bottom of the energy ladder and
electricity at the top.

Energy service
:
Energy service is the application of useful energy to tasks desired by the consumer at the enduse point. Energy services include, for example, transportation, thermal comfort, illumination,
cooking, food refrigeration.

Exergy
:
Exergy is the maximum amount of energy that can be converted into any other form or energy
under given thermodynamic conditions; also known as availability of work potential.

Externality
:
Externalities arise from a human activity, when agents responsible for the activity do not take full
account of the activitys impact on others production and consumption possibilities, while there
exists no compensation for such impact. When the impact is negative, it is referred as the
external costs. When positive they are referred to as the external benefits.
For example, emissions of particulate matter from a power station affect the health of people in

the vicinity, but this is not often considered, or is given inadequate weight, in private decision
making and there is no market for such impacts. Such a phenomenon is referred to as an
externality, and the costs it imposes are referred to as the external costs.

Final energy
:
Energy that is available to the consumer at the point of end-use to be converted into usable
energy. Final energy does not include storage and distribution losses that have occurred
upstream in the energy supply chain. Electricity at the wall outlet is one example of final energy.
Delivered energy and end energy are synonyms for final energy.

Gigawatthour
:
Gigawatthour (GWh) is a unit of energy. 1 GWh is equal to 1 million kilowatt-hours.

Installed capacity
:
Installed capacity is the net electric output of one or several power plants. Installed capacity may
refer to one plant, group of plants or market combined electric generating capacity. For example,
in 2007 the installed wind power capacity in Germany was 22 247 MW, in Brazil 247 MW, and in
India around 8 000 MW.

Joule
:
Joule is a unit of work or energy equal to the work done when a force of 1 newton (N) is applied
through a distance of 1 meter.

Kilowatt-hour
:
Kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the basic measure of electric energy generation or use. 1 kWh is the
supply of one kilowatt for a period of one hour. A 100-watt light bulb that is switched on for 10
hours uses 1 kWh.

Megawatt-hour
:

Megawatt-hour

(MWh)

equals

to

000

kilowatt-hours

or

million

watt-hours.

For example, electricity consumption per person in France in 2003 was equal to 7.58
MWh, whereas the respective value for India was only 0.43 MWh/capita (International
Energy Agency).

New renewables
:
New renewables typically refer to modern biofuels, wind, solar, small hydropower, marine and
geothermal energy. The term modern (or new) renewables is used to distinguish between
traditional renewables (large-scale hydropower, traditional biomass).

Power
:
Power is the rate at which energy is transferred and is commonly measured in watts (W), where 1
watt is 1 joule per second.

Primary energy
:
Energy embodied in natural resources (e.g. coal, crude oil, sunlight, uranium) that has not
undergone any anthropogenic conversion or transformation.

Renewable energy
:
Renewable energy is obtained from the continuing or repetitive currents of energy occurring in the
natural environment and includes non-carbon technologies such as solar energy, hydropower,
wind, tide and waves and geothermal heat, as well as carbon-neutral technologies such as
biomass. A synonym for renewable energy is renewables.
Short descriptions of the origins of renewable energy are provided below.
Solar energy is created at the core of the sun when hydrogen atoms are fused into helium by
nuclear fusion. For each second of the solar nuclear fusion process, 700 million tonnes of
hydrogen is converted into the heavier atom helium. Since its formation 4.5 billion years ago, the
sun has used up about half of the hydrogen found in its core.
Tidal energy is generated by the relative motion of the Earth, the Sun and the Moon, which
interact via gravitational forces. Periodic changes of water levels, and associated tidal currents,
occur due to the gravitational attraction by the Sun and the Moon. The magnitude of the tide at a
location is the result of the changing positions of the Moon and the Sun relative to the Earth. A
tidal energy generator uses this phenomenon to generate electricity. The stronger the tide the
greater the potential for tidal energy generation.

Geothermal energy mainly originates from the decay of naturally radioactive elements beneath
the Earth's surface. Absorbed heat in the atmosphere and oceans also refer to geothermal
energy.

Reserves
:
Reserves are those occurrences of energy sources or minerals that are identified and measured
as economically and technically recoverable with current technologies and prices.

Resources
Resources are those occurrences of energy sources or minerals that are not economically worth
recovering under current geological, technical, and market conditions. However, they are
considered to become potentially recoverable with foreseeable technological development and/or
changes in energy markets .

Sustainable development
:
The concept of sustainable development refers to a form of development that meets present-day
needs without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy their own requirements. It
aims to improve individuals' living conditions whilst preserving their environment in the short,
medium
and
-above
all
-long
term.
The objective of sustainable development is threefold: development that is economically efficient,
socially fair and environmentally sustainable. For the first time this term was mentioned in the
Brundtland report (1987), which suggested that international governments should meet to look at
how to reduce the effects of human activities on the environment for future generations. Since
then, the concept of sustainable development became a core of the following treaties: Agenda 21,
the Rio Principles, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.

Tonne of oil equivalent

:
Tonne of oil equivalent (toe) is a unit of energy. The IEA/OECD define one toe to be equal to
41.868 GJ or 11.630 MWh.

Total final consumption

:
Total final consumption (TFC) is the sum of consumption by the different end-use sectors. The

International Energy Agency typically breaks down TFC into energy demand in the following
sectors: industry, transport, residential, commercial and public services and non-energy use (the
latter includes petroleum products such as white spirit, paraffin waxes, lubricants and other
products).

Total primary energy supply

:
Total primary energy supply (TPES) is equivalent to primary energy demand. According to the
International Energy Agency, total primary energy supply represents domestic demand only and except for world energy demand - excludes international marine bunkers.
TPES = indigenous production + imports - exports - international marine bunkers stock
changes

Traditional energy
:
Traditional energy is used to denote locally collected and unprocessed biomass-based fuels,
such as crop residues, wood, and animal dung. Often traditional energy refers to non-commercial
energy carriers. Non-commercial energy carriers includes wood, agricultural residues, and dung,
which are collected or exchanged by the user without involving any financial transaction.
However, when wood and other biomass is sold in the marketplace, it becomes part of
commercial energy.

Useful energy
:
Useful energy is the portion of final energy which is actually available after final conversion to the
consumer to provide energy services, such as light, mechanical energy, heat, or communication
services.

Watt
:
Watt is a measure of the rate of energy use and hence is a measure of power. 1 watt is
equivalent to 1 joule per second.