A number of important abbreviations, terms and product descriptions are used in the solar power industry and are often used in relation to generate energy from the Sun.

Cell
A solar cell is the basic component in the manufacture of solar modules, which is a Cells are manufactured from wafers and are semiconductor devices that directly convert sunlight into electricity.

EEG
An abbreviation for “Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz”(German Renewable Energy Sources Act)A 5 kilowatt PV system generates 4,750 kWh per year .

Feed-in tariff
The local electricity supplier is obliged to accept power generated by regenerative energy systems and to pay for this at the current rates .

Inverter　
This is a complex electronic component that converts DC power into AC power and which is required for mains feed-in in solar power systems.

KWh 　
An abbreviation for kilowatthours .One kWh represents 1,000 watts over a period of one hour.

Module / Panel　
Describes a unit composed of several solar cells that can be electrically connected together ,and having weatherproofing (glass) ,embedding and framing .

Monocrystalline Silicon 　
that is pulled as a single crystal. The internal crystalline structure is completely homogenous, which can be recognized by an even external coloring .
MW An abbreviation for megawatt .This term is used to measure the power of solar systems.1MW=1,000 kW.

PV 　
This is short for photovoltaics (photo=light, voltaics = electricity ), another term for solar power. PV is a semiconductor-based technology used to convert light energy into direct current electricity, without using moving parts, producing noise, consuming fuel, or creating pollution. The words “solar cell” and “PV cell” are used interchangeably.

Polycrystalline　
This is a crystalline structure of silicon where several crystals form in the mold. Polycrystalline cells can be recognized by a visible grain, a so-called “metal flake effect”.

Silicon 　
The raw material silicon is used for the production of solar cells .

Stand-alone system　
The generated energy is stored in batteries and then subsequently used .These systems are not connected to the public mains grid.

Wafer 　
A sawn silicon disc ,used as the starting point for manufacturing a solar cell.