Our Resources
Solar Glossary
The vocabulary behind every proposal, BOM, and site plan you build on Reslink, explained simply.
A
- AC (Alternating Current)
- The current type solar inverters output to match grid and household power.
- Active Power
- The real power delivered to do usable electrical work, measured in kW.
- Albedo
- The fraction of sunlight a surface reflects, used to model bifacial panel gain.
- Angle of Incidence
- The angle between sunlight and a panel's surface, affecting how light is absorbed.
- Annual Degradation Rate
- The yearly drop in panel output as equipment ages.
- Authority Having Jurisdiction
- The local body that approves permits and inspects solar installations.
B
- Backsheet
- The rear protective layer of a solar panel that shields it from moisture and heat.
- Balance of System
- Every system component besides the panels themselves wiring, racking, inverters.
- Ballasted Racking
- A mounting system held down by weight instead of roof penetrations.
- Bankability
- How confidently a lender or investor will finance a project based on its risk profile.
- Bifacial Gain
- The extra output a bifacial panel produces from reflected light hitting its rear side.
- Bifacial Panel
- A solar module that generates power from both its front and back sides.
C
- Cable Management
- The organized routing and securing of wiring across a solar installation.
- Capacity Factor
- The ratio of actual energy output to a system's theoretical maximum output.
- Clipping
- Energy loss that occurs when DC output exceeds what an inverter can convert.
- Combiner Box
- An enclosure where multiple strings of panels are joined into one circuit.
- Commissioning
- The final testing phase confirming a system is safe and performing as designed.
- Conductor
- A wire or cable that carries electrical current through a system.
