Energy terms starting with G

103 terms

galactan The polymer of galactose with a repeating unit of C6H10O5. Found in hemicellulose it can be hydrolyzed to galactose.
galactose A six-carbon sugar with the formula C6H1206. A product of hydrolysis of galactan found in the hemicellulose fraction of biomass.
Gallium (Ga) A chemical element, metallic in nature, used in making certain kinds of solar cells and semiconductor devices.
Gallium Arsenide A compound used to make certain types of solar photovoltaic cells.
gap A missing section on one of the strands of double-stranded DNA. The DNA will therefore have a single-stranded region.
Gas engine A piston engine that uses gaseous fuel rather than gasoline. Fuel and air are mixed before they enter cylinders; ignition occurs with a spark.
Gas shift process A process in which carbon monoxide and hydrogen react in the presence of a catalyst to form methane and water.
Gas turbine A type of turbine in which combusted, pressurized gas is directed against a series of blades connected to a shaft, which forces the shaft to turn to…
Gasification The process in which a solid fuel is converted into a gas; also known as pyrolitic distillation or pyrolysis.
Gasifier A device for converting a solid fuel to a gaseous fuel.
Gasket/Seal A seal used to prevent the leakage of fluids, and also maintain the pressure in an enclosure.
Gasohol A registered trademark of an agency of the state of Nebraska, for an automotive fuel containing a blend of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline.
Gasoline A refined petroleum product suitable for use as a fuel in internal combustion engines.
Gasoline Gallon Equivalent (GGE) The amount of fuel it takes to equal the energy content of one liquid gallon of gasoline.
Gauss The unit of magnetic field intensity equal to 1 dyne per unit pole.
GDAs See Renewable Resource Generation Development Areas
Generalist (species) An organism that can survive under a wide variety of conditions, and does not specialize to live under any particular set of circumstances.
Generation The electricity generated by a system as recorded by a KWH meter, recorded in KWH or MWH.
Generator A device for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy.
Geoglyphs Ground markings of a figure or shape produced by the clearing or alignment of stones.
Geographic air basin : A land area with generally similar meteorological and geographic conditions throughout.
Geographic Information System (GIS) A set of computer tools and procedures used to collect, manage, analyze and display information associated with a specific location; a computerized…
Geology The science that deals with the study of the materials, processes, environments, and history of the Earth, including the rocks and their formation and…
Geometric spreading As the sound moves away from the source, the area that the sound energy covers becomes larger and thus sound intensity decreases.
Geomorphic Pertaining to those processes that affect the form or shape of the surface of the earth.
Geopressurized Brines These brines are hot (300 F to 400 F) (149 C to 204 C) pressurized waters that contain dissolved methane and lie at depths of 10,000 ft (3048 m) to more…
Geotechnical Refers to the use of scientific methods and engineering principles to acquire, interpret, and apply knowledge of earth materials for solving engineering…
Geotextile mats Permeable fabrics that interact with soils in manners used to reinforce soil surfaces for erosion, as well as act as filters for water, solutes, and fine…
Geothermal energy Energy produced by the internal heat of the earth; geothermal heat sources include: hydrothermal convective systems; pressurized water reservoirs; hot dry…
Geothermal generating plant A plant in which the prime mover is a steam turbine. The turbine is driven either by steam produced from hot water or by natural steam that derives its…
Geothermal Heat Pump A type of heat pump that uses the ground, ground water, or ponds as a heat source and heat sink, rather than outside air.
Geothermal Power Station An electricity generating facility that uses geothermal energy.
Geothermal resources Typically underground reservoirs of hot water or steam created by heat from the Earth, but also include subsurface areas of dry hot rock.
GHGs See Greenhouse gases
Gigawatt (GW) A unit of power equal to 1 billion Watts; 1 million kilowatts, or 1,000 megawatts.
Gin Pole A pole used to assist in raising a tower.
Girdling Killing a tree by removing a strip of bark from around its trunk.
GIS See Geographic information system
Glacial till An unsorted, unstratified mixture of fine and coarse rock debris deposited by a glacier.
Glare The excessive brightness from a direct light source that makes it difficult to see what one wishes to see.
Glauber's Salt A salt, sodium sulfate decahydrate, that melts at 90 degrees Fahrenheit; a component of eutectic salts that can be used for storing heat.
Glazing The material, usually glass, that fills spaces between sash members (rails, stiles and muntins), commonly referred to as panes or lights.
Glint A momentary flash of light resulting from a spatially localized reflection of sunlight. See also Glare
Global Insolation (or Solar Radiation) The total diffuse and direct insolation on a horizontal surface, averaged over a specified period of time.
Global Warming A popular term used to describe the increase in average global temperatures due to the greenhouse effect.
Globex (GW) The electronic trading platform for the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). Since Sept.
glucan The polymer of glucose with a repeating unit of C6H10O5. Cellulose is a form of glucan. Can be hydrolyzed to glucose. (Source: Voet, D.; Voet, J. G.
glucose A type of sugar; the chief source of energy for living organisms.
glycerin (C3H8O3) A liquid by-product of biodiesel production. Glycerin is used in the manufacture of dynamite, cosmetics, liquid soaps, inks, and lubricants.
Governor A device used to regulate motor speed, or, in a wind energy conversion system, to control the rotational speed of the rotor.
gr/SCF Grains of pollutant per standard cubic foot of gas. A measure of dust particles in a gas stream.
Graben (fault-bounded basins) An elongated crustal block that is relatively depressed (down dropped) between two parallel normal faults or horsts. See also Half-graben
Grain Alcohol Ethanol.
Graminoid herbaceous A grass or plant of similar growth form, such as sedges, rushes, and others.
Grandfathered rights In Arizona, grandfathered water rights are based on historic use of groundwater for five years prior to the designation of an Active Management Area.
Granite A coarse-grained felsic intrusive (or plutonic) igneous rock with at least 65% silica.
Granodiorites A plutonic igneous rock, formed by an intrusion of silica-rich magma, which cools in batholiths or stocks below the Earth's surface.
Graphic Information Systems (GIS) GIS technology is used to develop maps that depict resources or features such as soil types, population densities, land uses, transportation corridors…
Grasslands Grasslands are characterized as lands dominated by grasses rather than large shrubs or trees.
Graver A small tool with a sharp tip that was used to engrave bone, stone, wood, or other materials.
Grazing Consumption of native forage from rangelands or pastures by livestock or wildlife.
Grazing allotment An area where one or more livestock operators graze their livestock. An allotment generally consists of federal land but may include parcels of private or…
Grazing lease An authorization that permits the grazing of livestock on public lands outside the grazing districts during a specified period of time (Section 15 of the…
Great Basin An area covering most of Nevada and much of western Utah, as well as portions of southern Oregon and southeastern California, consisting primarily of…
Green Building or Green Design Building design that yields environmental benefits, such as savings in energy, building materials, and water consumption, or reduced waste generation.
Green Certificates Green certificates represent the environmental attributes of power produced from renewable resources.
Green logging The logging of timber that is still alive.
Green Power A popular term for energy produced from clean, renewable energy resources.
Green Pricing A practice engaged in by some regulated utilities (i.e. power providers) where electricity produced from clean, renewable resources is sold at a higher…
Green ton 2,000 pounds of undried biomass material. Moisture content must be specified if green tons are used as a measure of fuel energy.
Greenfields Newly developed commercial real estate on what was previously undeveloped open space.
Greenhouse Effect A popular term used to describe the heating effect due to the trapping of long wave (length) radiation by greenhouse gases produced from natural and human…
Greenhouse Gas Some greenhouse gases, which contribute to the greenhouse effect, occur naturally in the atmosphere while others result from human activities such as the…
Greenhouse gase (GHG) Heat-trapping gases that cause global warming. Natural and human-made greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides…
Greenhouse Gases Those gases, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, tropospheric ozone, methane, and low level ozone that are transparent to solar radiation, but opaque to…
Greenway A linear open space; a corridor composed of natural vegetation. Greenways can be used to create connected networks of open space that include traditional…
Greenwood Freshly cut, unseasoned, wood.
Greywater Waste water from a household source other than a toilet. This water can be used for landscape irrigation depending upon the source of the greywater.
Grid A common term referring to an electricity transmission and distribution system.
Grid connection Joining a plant that generates electric power to a utility system so that electricity can flow in either direction between the utility system and the…
Grid-Connected System Independent power systems that are connected to an electricity transmission and distribution system (referred to as the electricity grid) such that the…
Gross Calorific Value The heat produced by combusting a specific quantity and volume of fuel in an oxygen-bomb colorimeter under specific conditions.
Gross Generation The total amount of electricity produced by a power plant.
gross heat of combustion see higher heating value
Gross heating value (GHV) The maximum potential energy in the fuel as received, considering moisture content (MC). It reflects the heat used to evaporate moisture.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) The maximum weight of a vehicle, including curb weight (the weight of the vehicle on its own) and payload (the weight of cargo).
Ground A device used to protect the user of any electrical system or appliance from shock.
Ground failure Permanent ground displacement capable of damaging structures that may occur as a result of differential settlement, liquefaction, lateral spreading, or…
Ground fault mats Mats made of insulating materials that do not conduct electricity.
Ground Loop In geothermal heat pump systems, a series of fluid-filled plastic pipes buried in the shallow ground, or placed in a body of water, near a building.
Ground motion (shaking) The movement of the Earth's surface from earthquakes. Ground motion is produced by seismic waves that are generated by a sudden slip on a fault and travel…
Ground Reflection Solar radiation reflected from the ground onto a solar collector.
Ground-Source Heat Pump (See Geothermal Systems)
Groundwater All water below the surface of the land. It is water found in the pore spaces of bedrock or soil, and it reaches the land surface through springs or it…
Groundwater basin : (1) A general term used to define a groundwater flow system that has defined boundaries and may include permeable materials that are capable of storing…
Groundwater overdraft The condition in which water extractions from an aquifer exceed recharge processes in such excess as to cause substantial and sustained decreases in…
Groundwater recharge Inflow of water to a ground-water reservoir from the surface. Infiltration of precipitation and its movement to the water table is one form of natural…
Growth Management A term that encompasses a whole range of policies designed to control, guide, or mitigate the effects of growth.
Grubbing See Clearing and grubbing
guaiacyl A chemical component of lignin. It has a six-carbon aromatic ring with one methoxyl group attached.