Energy terms starting with S

358 terms

Stratigraphy (stratigraphic) Layers of sediments and rocks that reflect the geologic history of an area. With respect to cultural resources and archaeological sites, the relative…
Stream class Classification of streams based on the present and foreseeable uses made of the water, and the potential effects of on-site changes on downstream uses.
Stream Corridor The area (containing wetlands, flood plains, woodlands, unique habitats, and steep slopes) which lies between relatively level uplands and stream banks…
Stream terrace A remnant of a floodplain surface formed by streams as they carve downward into their floodplains.
Streetscape The space between the buildings on either side of a street that defines its character.
Stressors Physical, chemical, or biological entities that can induce adverse effects on ecosystems or human health.
Strike-slip fault Vertical (or nearly vertical) fractures where the blocks have mostly moved horizontally.
structural chemical analysis The composition of biomass reported by the proportions of the major structural components; cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.
Structural fires Fire originating in and burning any part or all of any building, shelter, or other structure.
Structure Changes in the shape of the bottom of lakes, rivers, or impoundments, especially those that influence fish behavior.
Stud A popular term used for a length of wood or steel used in or for wall framing.
Stumpage (1) Standing live or dead uncut trees. (2) The value or rate paid to purchase standing trees for harvest.
Sub-canopies Woody vegetation that grows beneath the canopy or tree tops of a forest or woodland.
Subalpine The upper mountain vegetation immediately below the cold limits of tree and tall shrub growth.
Subdivision A subdivision occurs as the result of dividing land into lots for sale or development.
Subdivision Rules and Regulations Procedures, requirements, and provisions governing the subdivision of land that is specified in formal Rules and Regulations promulgated by a city or town…
Subdrainage A land area (basin) bounded by ridges or similar topographic features, encompassing only part of a watershed.
Subsidence Sinking or settlement of the land surface, due to any of several processes. As commonly used, the term relates to the vertical downward movement of…
Subsistence The practices by which a group or individual acquires food, such as through hunting and gathering, fishing, and agriculture.
Substation An electrical installation containing power conversion (and sometimes generation) equipment, such as transformers, compensators, and circuit breakers.
Substrate 1. A compound that is altered by an enzyme. 2. Food source for growing cells or micro-organisms. 3. Material on which a sedentary organism lives and grows.
Succession A series of dynamic changes by which one group of organisms succeeds another through stages leading to potential natural community or climax.
Sulfur dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>) SO2 is a key pollutant in the formation of acid rain and contributes to the formation of fine particles that are associated with significant negative…
Sulfur oxides (SO<sub>x</sub>) Compounds containing sulfur and oxygen, such as sulfur dioxide (SO2) and sulfur trioxide (SO3).
Sun Path Diagram A circular projection of the sky vault onto a flat diagram used to determine solar positions and shading effects of landscape features on a solar energy…
Sun Tempered Building A building that is elongated in the east-west direction, with the majority of the windows on the south side.
Sunk cost A cost already incurred and therefore not considered in making a current investment decision.
Sunspace A room that faces south (in the northern hemisphere), or a small structure attached to the south side of a house.
Super Insulated Houses A type of house that has massive amounts of insulation, airtight construction, and controlled ventilation without sacrificing comfort, health, or…
Super Window A popular term for highly insulating window with a heat loss so low it performs better than an insulated wall in winter, since the sunlight that it admits…
Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) SMES technology uses the superconducting characteristics of low-temperature materials to produce intense magnetic fields to store energy.
Superconductivity The abrupt and large increase in electrical conductivity exhibited by some metals as the temperature approaches absolute zero.
Superheated steam Steam at a given pressure which is above the temperature which corresponds to boiling temperature at that given pressure.
Supplementary Heat A heat source, such as a space heater, used to provide more heat than that provided by a primary heating source.
Supply Duct The duct(s) of a forced air heating/cooling system through which heated or cooled air is supplied to rooms by the action of the fan of the central heating…
Supply Side Technologies that pertain to the generation of electricity.
Surface expression Refers to the physical expression of seismic activity at the ground exterior in the form of a fault rupture or fissure.
Surface rupture The breakage of ground along the surface trace of a fault caused by the intersection of the fault surface area ruptured in an earthquake with the Earth's…
Surface texture The visual manifestations of the interplay of light and shadow created by the variations in the top of an object or landscape.
Surface Water Water on the Earth's surface that is directly exposed to the atmosphere, as distinguished from water in the ground (groundwater).
Surface Water Loop In this type of closed-loop geothermal heat pump installation, the fluid-filled plastic heat exchanger pipes are coiled into circles and submerged at…
Surplus electricity Electricity produced by cogeneration equipment in excess of the needs of an associated factory or business.
Suspended solids Waste particles suspended in water. Suspended solids can harbor harmful microorganisms and toxic chemicals.
Sustainable An ecosystem condition in which biodiversity, renewability, and resource productivity are maintained over time.
Sustainable Development Development with the goal of preserving environmental quality, natural resources and livability for present and future generations.
Sustainable yield See Perennial/Safe/Sustainable yield
Sustained yield The maintenance in perpetuity of regular, periodic harvest of wood resources from forest land without damaging the productivity of the land.
Swale A low place in a tract of land, usually moister, and often having denser vegetation than the adjacent higher land.
Swamp Cooler A popular term used for an evaporative cooling device.
Swaps An exchange of streams of payments over time according to specified terms. A common type is a fixed-for-floating swap, in which one party agrees to pay a…
Swarm (seismic swarm) A localized surge of earthquakes, with no one shock being conspicuously larger than all other shocks of the swarm.
Swept Area In reference to a wind energy conversion device, the area through which the rotor blades spin, as seen when directly facing the center of the rotor blades.
Synchronous Generator An electrical generator that runs at a constant speed and draws its excitation from a power source external or independent of the load or transmission…
Synchronous Inverter An electrical inverter that inverts direct current electricity to alternating current electricity, and that uses another alternating current source, such…
Synchronous Motor A type of motor designed to operate precisely at the synchronous speed with no slip in the full-load speeds (rpm).
Syngas A syntheses gas produced through gasification of biomass. Syngas is similar to natural gas and can be cleaned and conditioned to form a feedstock for…
syringyl A component of lignin, normally only found in hardwood lignins. It has a six-carbon aromatic ring with two methoxyl groups attached.
System Mix The proportion of electricity distributed by a power provider that is generated from available sources such as coal, natural gas, petroleum, nuclear…