Energy Glossary
CSR Corporate Social Responsibility
A
Ampere
A unit of electric current. Abbreviation: A.
B
Biofuel
Form of fuel based on biomass or peat. The fuel may have undergone a chemical or biological process or transformation and it may also have been previously used for other purposes.
C
Climate change
Increase of the global temperature caused by a higher concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, adding to the natural greenhouse effect.
Carbon dioxide
Gaseous carbon compound that is naturally present in the atmosphere and is involved in photosynthesis. The chemical symbol is CO2. Carbon dioxide is necessary for life on earth to exist. It is the most prevalent greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, see GHG.
CSR Corporate Social Responsibility
A concept whereby companies integrate economical, social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis.
D
Deregulation
Abolishing monopoly rights and obligations to open up for competition. Used here as a synonym for liberalisation.
District heat
A method for distributing heat energy for heating a large number of buildings from a central location. To achieve this, hot water is circulated through a system of pipes, usually under ground.
E
EMAS
Eco Management and Audit Scheme. European Commission regulations for environmental management and auditing.
EEX
European Energy Exchange, the German electricity exchange. Head office in Leipzig.
Emissions trading
Under the Kyoto Protocol, the Member States of the European Union have undertaken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8 per cent from the level recorded in 1990 by 2008/2012. The Member States have agreed how to share this undertaking in a burden-sharing agreement and have introduced an emissions trading system. The first trading period began on 1 January 2005 (2005–2007), the second will start in 2008 (2008–2012).
Energy production
Energy is indicated in watt-hours, meaning effect (watt) multiplied by time. It is common practice to use an appropriate prefix, such as kilo for 1,000, mega for 1,000,000, giga for 1,000,000,000 or tera for 1,000,000,000,000.
F
Fossil fuels
A term for fuels originally formed from vegetation and micro-organisms that have been transformed into coal, oil and natural gas over the course of millions of years. Today, fossil fuels are the world’s biggest source of energy, supplying some 80 per cent of all the energy we use.
G
Gas
Natural gas is a fossil fuel that, like coal and oil, is formed from plants and other organisms that have been transformed under high pressure and at high temperatures over the course of millions of years.
Generation
Generation of electricity. (Usage: generation of electricity; production of heat)
GHG
Greenhouse gases — gases in the atmosphere that contribute to the greenhouse effect, such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous dioxide.
Green certificates
Tradable certificates issued for renewable energy. See Renewable energy.
GWh
Abbreviation of gigawatt-hour, or 1,000,000,000 watt-hours.
H
Hydro power
A form of production that transforms the potential energy in water into electrical energy. A hydro power station normally consists of a dam that creates a store of water by preventing the water from running along its natural course. The water is then allowed to flow to a lower level through a turbine, which generates electrical energy.
I
International Energy Agency
Often referred to as the IEA, the International Energy Agency is an independent energy-related organisation connected to the OECD. The IEA has 23 members, all of which are industrialised countries. The organisation works to reduce dependency on oil via energy conservation and the development of renewable energy sources.
ISO 14001
International standard for environmental management systems.
J
Joule
Unit of work or energy. 1 joule = 1 newton meter. 1 J=1 Nm.
K
kWh
Abbreviation of kilowatt-hour, or 1,000 watt-hours.
Kyoto accord
International agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. See Emissions trading.
L
Lignite (brown coal)
Lignite is the type of coal that first develops when peat is compacted. Lignite has a lower energy content and different characteristics than the longer-compacted hard coal (anthracite).
M
MWh
Abbreviation of megawatt-hour, or 1,000,000 watt-hours.
N
Nord Pool
The Nordic electricity exchange.
Nuclear power
Energy that is released when heavy atoms are split (fission), when light atoms are fused (fusion) and as a result of radioactive decomposition. Nuclear power is produced in a nuclear power plant.
O
Oil
A mixture of different hydrocarbons usually called crude oil. Crude oil cannot be used directly, but is a raw material that is refined at an oil refinery into a range of products. Oil releases carbon dioxide when burned.
P
Production
Production of heat. (Usage: production of heat; generation of electricity). See Energy production.
Q
Quality Assurance
Often abbreviated as QA. Operations at a nuclear power plant involve high levels of safety and accessibility. Safety means the safety of people, the surrounding areas and the facilities themselves. To meet overall goals for safety and accessibility, requirements are established for a number of areas, including safety analyses, operations, maintenance, radiation protection, chemistry, facility changes, accident preparedness and training.
R
Renewable energy sources
Non-finite energy sources such as hydro power, biofuel, wind, solar power, tidal power, wave power, geothermal power.
S
Solar energy
The term “solar energy” usually refers to the use of direct sunlight, captured in solar cells and panels. Electricity is produced in solar cells, while heat is produced in solar panels.
Sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
T
Thermal power
Electricity generated via a heating process, such as a gas turbine or a steam process in a coal-fired or nuclear power plant (compare with Combined heating plant).
TWh
Abbreviation of terawatt-hour, or 1,000,000,000,000 watt-hours.
U
Uranium
A heavy, radioactive element in which all isotopes are radioactive. The longest-living uranium isotope is uranium-238, with a half-life of 4.5 billion years and is the parent nuclide to the most commonly occurring decomposition series. Radium and radon, for example, are part of this series. Uranium-235, with a half-life of 710 years, and uranium-233 are easily split, so are useful for generating nuclear power. See Nuclear power.
V
Value chain
Process for creating value. Within the electricity sector this includes the generation, transmission, distribution and selling of electricity.
W
Waste combustion
Often used in generating heat for district heading grids. As combustible household waste mainly consists of organic material, waste combustion is considered to be a form of bio-energy.
Wind power
Due to its mass and movement, wind contains a certain amount of kinetic energy, known as wind energy. The air is set in motion by variations in air pressure, which arise because the sun heats air unevenly.
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