Solar Glossary

Alternating Current (AC) The type of electricity used in your home and most appliances. Solar panels generate DC power, which gets converted to AC by an inverter.

Array A group of solar panels wired together to produce electricity. Think of it as your solar squad working in sync.

Balance of System (BOS) All the non-panel parts of a solar power system—like inverters, wiring, mounting equipment, etc. Basically, everything that makes the panels work.

Direct Current (DC) The electricity generated by solar panels before it’s converted to AC. It’s kind of like solar power in raw form.

Grid-Tied System A solar power setup that connects to your local utility grid. If your panels make more power than you need, the extra goes back to the grid (hello, credits!).

Inverter The device that turns solar electricity (DC) into home-usable electricity (AC). Without it, your panels are just shiny roof ornaments.

Kilowatt (kW) A unit of power. One kilowatt = 1,000 watts. Used to measure the capacity of your solar system.

Kilowatt-Hour (kWh) A unit of energy. One kWh is what you get when you use 1,000 watts for an hour. Your electric bill is based on this.

Net Metering A billing system that credits you for the excess electricity your solar panels send back to the grid. More solar = lower bills.

Photovoltaic (PV) The fancy term for solar technology. PV panels convert sunlight into electricity.

Solar Battery Stores extra electricity your panels produce for use at night or during outages. Great for energy independence.

Solar Cell The individual unit within a panel that captures sunlight and converts it into electricity. Panels are just a bunch of these working together.

Solar Panel The big rectangle on your roof that turns sunlight into electricity. Made up of multiple solar cells.

Solar Farm A large-scale solar energy project with many panels, usually in open fields. Think of it as a solar power plant.

Solar Monitoring System Lets you track how much energy your system produces—kind of like a fitness tracker for your roof.

Tilt Angle The angle at which solar panels are installed to best catch sunlight. It depends on your roof and location.

Watt (W) A basic unit of power. It takes 1,000 watts to make a kilowatt. Most panels are rated in watts (like 400W per panel).

Utility Grid The network of wires and power plants that deliver electricity to your home when the sun isn’t shining—or your panels need a break.