Concentrating solar power (CSP) technologiesAny of a family of solar energy technologies that reflect and concentrate the sun's energy to produce heat that is subsequently used to produce steam to…
ConcentrationAmount of a chemical in a particular volume or weight of air, water, soil, or other medium.
ConcentratorA photovoltaic module, which includes optical components such as lenses (Fresnel lens) to direct and concentrate sunlight onto a solar cell.
CondensateThe liquid resulting when water vapor contacts a cool surface; also the liquid resulting when a vaporized working fluid (such as a refrigerant) is cooled…
CondensationThe process by which water in air changes from a vapor to a liquid due to a change in temperature or pressure; occurs when water vapor reaches its dew…
CondenserThe device in an air conditioner or heat pump in which the refrigerant condenses from a gas to a liquid when it is depressurized or cooled.
Condenser CoilThe device in an air conditioner or heat pump through which the refrigerant is circulated and releases heat to the surroundings when a fan blows outside…
Condensing FurnaceA type of heating appliance that extracts so much of the available heat content from a combusted fuel that the moisture in the combustion gases condenses…
Condensing powerPower generated through a final steam turbine stage where the steam is exhausted into a condenser and cooled to a liquid to be recycled back into a boiler.
Condensing turbineA turbine used for electrical power generation from a minimum amount of steam. To increase plant efficiency, these units can have multiple uncontrolled…
Condensing UnitThe component of a central air conditioner that is designed to remove heat absorbed by the refrigerant and transfer it outside the conditioned space.
Condensing, controlled extraction turbinesA controlled turbine that bleeds off (condenses) part of the main stream flow at one (single extraction) or two (double extraction) points.
Conditional use permitA permit, with conditions, allowing an approved use on a site outside the appropriate zoning class.
Conditional Use Permit (CUP)In California, this is a permit that is required to be obtained from the county government authority in which a solar energy facility is to be located.
Conditioned SpaceThe interior space of a building that is heated or cooled.
ConductionThe transfer of heat through a material by the transfer of kinetic energy from particle to particle; the flow of heat between two materials of different…
Conduction BandAn energy band in a semiconductor in which electrons can move freely in a solid, producing a net transport of charge.
Conductivity (Thermal)This is a positive constant, k, that is a property of a substance and is used in the calculation of heat transfer rates for materials.
ConductorThe material through which electricity is transmitted, such as an electrical wire, or transmission or distribution line.
ConduitA tubular material used to encase and protect one or more electrical conductors.
Cone of DepressionA depression in the water table that develops around a pumped well.
CongestionA characteristic of the transmission system produced by a constraint on the optimum economic operation of the power system, such that the marginal price…
Congestion costsCharges assessed and redistributed due to electricity network constraints.
ConglomerateA conglomerate is a corporation whose multiple business units operate in different, often unrelated, areas.
Congressional (Energy) Committees: House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment — This committee has legislative jurisdiction and general and special oversight and investigative…
ConiferA plant commonly having needlelike, persistent leaves and a woody cone for a fruit.
Connected LoadThe sum of the ratings of the electricity consuming apparatus connected to a generating system.
Connection ChargeAn amount paid by a customer for being connected to an electricity supplier's transmission and distribution system.
Conservation AreasEnvironmentally sensitive and valuable lands protected from any activity that would significantly alter their ecological integrity, balance, or character…
Conservation Cost AdjustmentA means of billing electric power consumers to pay for the costs of demand side management/energy conservation measures and programs.
Conservation EasementsConservation easements are voluntary, legally binding agreements for landowners that limit parcels of land or pieces of property to certain uses.
Constant DollarsThe value or purchasing power of a dollar in a specified year carried forward or backward.
Constant-Speed Wind TurbinesWind turbines that operate at a constant rotor revolutions per minute (RPM) and are optimized for energy capture at a given rotor diameter at a particular…
Consumption ChargeThe part of a power provider's charge based on actual energy consumed by the customer; the product of the kilowatt-hour rate and the total kilowatt-hours…
Consumptive use(1) Any use of water that permanently removes water from the natural stream system.
Contact ResistanceThe resistance between metallic contacts and the semiconductor.
Context Sensitive Design (CSD)A collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that involves all stakeholders to develop a facility that fits its physical setting and preserves scenic…
continuous fermentationA process in which cells or micro-organisms are maintained in culture in the exponential growth phase by the continuous addition of fresh medium that is…
ContrastThe difference between the brightness of an object compared to that of its immediate background.
Contrast levelA description of the relative amount of visual contrast resulting from a change in the visible landscape.
Control areaAn electric power system or combination of electric power systems to which a common automatic control scheme is applied in order to: Match, at all times…
Control plotA plot in which no vegetation will be cut and natural succession will occur. A control plot serves as a baseline to compare other treatments (Early, Mid…
ConvectionThe movement of matter due to changes in temperature and density. Warm material rises because it is less dense (lighter) and cool material sinks because…
Conventional forest productsAny commercial roundwood product (boards, dimension lumber, pulp and paper products) except fuelwood.
Conventional PowerPower generation from sources such as petroleum, natural gas, or coal. In some cases, large-scale hydropower and nuclear power generation are considered…
Conversion EfficiencyThe amount of energy produced as a percentage of the amount of energy consumed.
ConverterA device for transforming the quality and quantity of electrical energy; also an inverter.
ConveyorA mechanical apparatus for carrying bulk material from place to place; for example, an endless moving belt or a chain of receptacles.
Cooling CapacityThe quantity of heat that a cooling appliance is capable of removing from a room in one hour.
Cooling Degree DayA value used to estimate interior air cooling requirements (load) calculated as the number of degrees per day (over a specified period) that the daily…
Cooling degree days (CDD)A measure of cooling energy demand determined by how far a location's temperature averaged above 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cooling LoadThat amount of cooling energy to be supplied (or heat and humidity removed) based on the sensible and latent loads.
Cooling PondA body of water used to cool the water that is circulated in an electric power plant.
Cooling TowerA structure used to cool power plant water; water is pumped to the top of the tubular tower and sprayed out into the center, and is cooled by evaporation…
Coppice regenerationThe ability of certain hardwood species to regenerate by producing multiple new shoots from a stump left after harvest.
CoproductsThe potentially useful byproducts of ethanol fermentation process.
CordA stack of wood consisting of 128 cubic feet. A cord has standard dimensions of 4´ x 4´ x 8´ including air space and bark. One cord contains about 1.
Cord (of Wood)A stack of wood 4 feet by 4 feet by 8 feet.
Corn stoverResidue materials from harvesting corn consisting of the cob, leaves and stalk.
Corona dischargeElectrical discharge accompanied by ionization of surrounding atmosphere around high-voltage transmission lines, occurring mostly under wet conditions.
Corona/corona noiseThe electrical breakdown of air into charged particles. The phenomenon appears as a bluish-purple glow on the surface of and adjacent to a conductor when…
Corporate average fuel economy (CAFE)Federal standards enacted in 1975 for fuel economy in motor vehicles. The average of city and highway fuel economy test results weighted by a manufacturer…
CorridorA strip of land through which one or more existing or potential facilities may be located.
Counterflow Heat ExchangerA heat exchanger in which two fluids flow in opposite directions for transfer heat energy from one to the other.
CounterpartyIn any financial contract, the persons or institutions entering the contract on the opposite sides of the transaction are called the counterparties.
CovenantsRules and restrictions governing the use of property.
coverNatural or manmade objects on the bottom of lakes, rivers, or impoundments, especially those that influence fish behavior.
crackingA reduction of molecular weight by breaking bonds, which may be done by thermal, catalytic, or hydrocracking.
CraterA steep-sided, usually circular depression formed by either explosion or collapse at a volcanic vent.
CrawlspaceThe unoccupied, and usually unfinished and unconditioned space between the floor, foundation walls, and the slab or ground of a building.
CreditCredit generally refers to the ability of a person or organization to borrow money, as well as the arrangements that are made for repaying the loan and…
Credit clearingA mechanism for settling mutual claims that shares among many parties the risk of a company failing to fulfill its contract.
Credit ratingYour credit rating is an independent statistical evaluation of your ability to repay debt based on your borrowing and repayment history.
Credit RiskA term used to describe the possibility of default on a loan by a borrower.
Credit ScoreA number, roughly between 300 and 800, that measures an individual's credit worthiness. The most well-known type of credit score is the FICOî score.
Creep (rate)Relatively slow movement along a fault. It is sometimes called "seismic creep" to distinguish it from the slumping of rock or soil on slopes (which is…
CreosoteA liquid byproduct of wood combustion (or distillation) that condenses on the internal surfaces of vents and chimneys, which if not removed regularly, can…
CrescentsQuarter-moon-shaped (hence crescent) artifacts that may have been in the form of blades, scrapers, or projectile points.
Criteria air pollutantsSix common air pollutants for which National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) have been established by the U.S.
Critical Compression PressureThe highest possible pressure in a fuel-air mixture before spontaneous ignition occurs.
Critical habitatThe specific area within the geographical area occupied by the species at the time it is listed as endangered or threatened.
Critical habitat unit (CHU)Under the Endangered Species Act, critical habitat is defined as "the specific areas within the geographic area occupied by a species on which are found…
Critical noticesPipeline issuances that provide information on conditions that affect natural gas scheduling or adversely affect scheduled gas flow.
Crop treeUsually a conifer tree grown to provide wood products.
Crucial winter rangeThe portion of the winter range to which a wildlife species is confined during periods of heaviest snow cover or that portion of the year-long range which…
CrustaceansAquatic animals with hard external skeletons and segmented limbs, belonging to the class Crustacea; include cladocerans, shrimp, crayfish, fairy shrimp…
Crustal spreading centerA linear zone in the Earth's crust whose opposite sides are moving away from one another.