APES Chapter 16

incandescent light bulbs

commonly used in homes; a thin wire called a filament carries electricity; about 2% of electrical energy is changed into light .

biodiesel

processed fuel made from vegetable oil or animal fats which can be used in unmodified diesel engines

living roof

roofs covered with plants have been used for decades; save energy and help preserve biodiversity

energy star appliance

super efficient, use less power when operating

fuel cell

A device that converts chemical energy to electrical energy.

light emitting diode bulb (LED)

A diode that will produce light when current flows through it.

passive solar heating system

A system that uses the sun's energy without requiring mechanical devices (pumps or fans) to distribute the collected heat.

combined heat and power systems

Another term for cogeneration where heat and electricity both come from one fuel source.

photovoltaic cells

Cells, usually made of specially-treated silicon, that transfer solar energy from the sun to electrical energy

compact fluorescent light bulbs

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) are small fluorescent light bulbs that use up to 75% less energy than a traditional incandescent bulb

geothermal energy

Energy from steam or hot water produced from hot or molten underground rocks.

energy efficiency

Percentage of the total energy input that does useful work and is not converted into low-quality, usually useless heat in an energy conversion system or process.

cogeneration

Production of two useful forms of energy, such as high-temperature heat or steam and electricity, from the same fuel source.

active solar heating system

System that uses solar collectors to capture energy from the sun and store it as heat for space heating and water heating. Liquid or air pumped through the collectors transfers the captured heat to a storage system such as an insulated water tank or rock bed. Pumps or fans then distribute the stored heat or hot water throughout a dwelling as needed.

micro-power systems

Using 'micro-turbine' technology, micro-power is a system of portable electric generation. It is currently in the research stage.

corporate average fuel economy standards

a set of federal standards under which each vehicle manufacturer must meet a miles-per-gallon benchmark averaged across all cars/trucks

solar cells

cells made of several layers of light-sensitive materials which convert sunlight directly into electrical energy

plug-in hybrid electric vehicle

hybrid with a second and more powerful battery that can be plugged into an electrical outlet and recharged