Glossary
Throughout this site and within the downloadable data sets, you will see many terms related to DER technologies. Here is a list of definitions for your reference.
Alternate Name(s) – another name that the facility, system, or project is or has been known by.
Ambient Temperature – temperature at nearby international airport.
Ancillary Equipment – additional equipment related to a system or project, such as a scrubber or a heat recovery steam generator.
Auxillary Load – see Parasitic Load.
Azimuth – horizontal angle of solar panels relative to the equator. See also Tilt.
Black-Start – starting up a DER in the absence of an electric grid. See also Black-Start/Islanding Capability.
Black-Start/Islanding Capability – whether an installation has the capability of black start (startup in the absence of electric grid), and if so, whether it has automatic transition or requires manual start. See also Black-Start.
Capacity Factor – actual electric energy output during a period divided by its potential output if it operated at full nameplate capacity continuously during the same period.
Category (Facility) – building type / use main category, as per EIA CBECS, RECS, or MECs definitions. See also Subcategory (Facility).
Characteristic Data – descriptive information about a distributed energy resource, project, system, or the facility housing the resource.
Chiller – Exhaust-Fired – whether there is a chiller driven by exhaust from the DER.
Chiller – Hot Water Driven – whether there is a chiller driven by hot water from the DER.
Chiller – Steam Driven – whether there is a chiller driven by steam from the DER.
CHP – see Combined Heat and Power.
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) – simultaneous generation of thermal and electrical energy from a single fuel source.
CHP Efficiency – total useful energy (electric plus thermal) generated during a period divided by the total energy input during the same period. Also called fuel conversion efficiency (FCE). Uses a higher heating value (HHV) of 1,032 Btu/cf for natural gas and 600 Btu/cf for biogas. See also Rated CHP Efficiency.
Commercial Operation Date – date on which a DER project is substantially complete and commercially operable.
ConEd Target Zone – whether the facility received an incentive for being in a ConEd target zone as of the time of commissioning.
Critical Facility – whether the facility is designated as a “Critical Facility” by NYSERDA, which is decided on a case-by-case basis for a given project.
DE Resource – a group of identical distributed energy resource units. For CHP, this is a group of resource units with a specific model number, using catalog model if available.
DER Exhaust Heat Recovery – whether exhaust heat recovery exists for any of the DERs within the project. Direct use of exhaust only.
DER Hot Water Heat Recovery – whether hot water heat recovery exists for any of the DERs within the project.
DER Primary Fuel Type – primary type of fuel consumed by the DER.
DER Prime Mover Type – type of prime mover.
DER Rated Capacity per DER Unit Model (kW) – installed capacity in kW of one DER unit model. The rated capacity may vary between technologies and projects but is typically DC for solar technologies. Can be AC or DC for ESS, and AC for all others. If provided, the Database Notes for a given project will specify this.
DER Rated Capacity per DER Unit Model (kWh) – installed capacity in kWh of one DER unit model. The electric flow rating may vary between technologies and projects. ESS ratings can be DC or AC while ratings for all other technologies are typically AC. If provided, the Database Notes for a given project will specify this.
DER Rated Heat Recovery – Exhaust (Mbtu/h) – rated exhaust heat recovery for engine.
DER Rated Heat Recovery – Hot Water (Mbtu/h) – rated hot water heat recovery for engine.
DER Rated Heat Recovery – Steam (Mbtu/h) – rated steam heat recovery for engine.
DER Steam Heat Recovery – whether steam heat recovery exists for any of the DERs within the project.
DER Technology – type of distributed energy resource technology.
DER Unit Manufacturer – manufacturer of the DER.
DER Unit Model – model of the DER (catalog model if applicable).
Developer/Installer Name – name of the company that developed and/or installed the project. For CHP installations that use the catalog, this is the vendor name.
Electric Efficiency – useful electric energy generated during a period divided by the total energy input to the generator during the same period. Uses a higher heating value (HHV) of 1,032 Btu/cf for natural gas and 600 Btu/cf for biogas. See also Rated Electric Efficiency.
Electric Utility – electric utility the facility is interconnected with.
Electricity Charged – electricity charged to an energy storage resource (AC).
Electricity Discharged – electricity discharged from an energy storage resource (AC).
Electricity Generated – electricity generated by the distributed energy resource project (AC).
Energy Storage System (ESS) – distributed energy resource that can charge, store, and discharge energy.
ESS – see Energy Storage System.
Facility – a physical building, or group of buildings, or address, at which a DER project or projects is (are) installed. “Facility” is defined by location. One or more projects may be located at a facility. See also DE Resource, Project, System.
Facility Address – physical address of the facility the DER project is installed at.
Facility Category – see Category (Facility).
Facility Latitude and Longitude – see Latitude and Longitude (Facility).
Facility Name – Name of building or facility.
Facility Subcategory – see Subcategory (Facility).
FCE – see CHP Efficiency.
Floor Area (Facility) – floor area of facility in square feet as supplied by program applicant.
Fuel Consumed – fuel consumed by the distributed energy resource project to generate electricity and/or heat.
Fuel Conversion Efficiency (FCE) – see CHP efficiency.
Gas Utility – natural gas utility the facility is interconnected with.
Generation Capacity – see Rated Electric Generation (kW).
Generator Type – type of generator and whether it has an inverter.
Grid Export Capability – whether the installation is permitted and able to export excess power at any given moment to the electric grid.
Gross Energy or Power – total energy or power generated or able to be generated by a DER unit, project, or system, before any parasitic loads are removed. See also Net Energy or Power, Parasitic Loads.
Heat Recovery – capturing heat from an electric generator, exhaust, or industrial processes and redirecting to useful means.
Heat Recovery Loads Met – Chiller – whether heat recovered from a DER is used to help meet chiller loads.
Heat Recovery Loads Met – DHW – whether heat recovered from a DER is used to help meet DHW loads.
Heat Recovery Loads Met – Other – whether heat recovered from a DER is used to help meet loads other than DHW, space heat, and chiller.
Heat Recovery Loads Met – Space Heat – whether heat recovered from a DER is used to help meet space heating loads.
Heat Rejected – heat generated by the distributed energy resource project that is unused (i.e. rejected).
Heat Used – heat generated by the distributed energy resource project that is used on site.
Higher Heating Value (HHV) – amount of heat released by combustion, taking into account the latent heat of vaporization of water in the combustion products.
Installation Location – where the DER is installed relative to the facility.
Islanding – operating a DER in the absence of or separate from the electric grid.
Latitude and Longitude (Facility) – map coordinate location of facility.
Located in Flood Plain – whether the facility is situated in the 100-year flood plain.
Monitoring Data End Date – date of last data point in the database.
Monitoring Data Start Date – date of first complete data provided to NYSERDA. E.g. power, gas, and heat recovery for applicable sites. Partial data may be available on this website before this date.
Net Energy or Power – total energy or power generated or able to be generated by a DER unit, project, or system, once any parasitic loads are removed (AC). See also Gross Energy or Power, Parasitic Loads.
Number of DER Unit Models – see Quantity of DER Unit Models.
Number of Occupancy Units – see Quantity of Occupancy Units.
NYISO Zone – New York Independent System Operator NYISO Zone the facility is in.
NYSERDA Contract Name – contract name for the project at NYSERDA.
NYSERDA Program – NYSERDA program under which this project was installed.
NYSERDA-Funded – whether the project received funding from NYSERDA.
Parasitic Load – load that powers or controls the DER, for example circulating pumps, heat rejection, fans. Also known as auxiliary load.
Primary Fuel – main fuel source for the distributed energy resource.
Project – one or more DE Resources installed and commissioned at or around the same time. See also DE Resource, System, Facility.
Quantity of DER Unit Models – number of the DER Unit Model within the project.
Quantity of Occupancy Units – number of apartments (multifamily residential buildings), guest rooms (hotels), or beds (assisted living, nursing homes, and hospitals).
Quantity of Prime Movers – number of individual prime movers in the project.
Rated CHP Efficiency (% HHV) – manufacturer rating of total CHP fuel conversion efficiency of the DER, based on higher heating value. For CHP and fuel cells, the higher heating value of natural gas used on this website is 1032 Btu/cf. See also CHP Efficiency.
Rated Cooling Energy Discharge Capacity (ton) – manufacturer rating of the rate that cooling energy can be delivered from an energy storage resource to a load. Where rating is not available, this field is calculated from the capacity in ton-hours assuming it is an 8-hour resource.
Rated Cooling Energy Storage Capacity (ton-hour) – manufacturer rating of the total cooling energy that can be stored in an energy storage resource.
Rated Electric Discharge Capacity (kW) – manufacturer rating of the electric power that can be delivered from an energy storage resource or project to the grid or to a load (AC).
Rated Electric Efficiency (% HHV) – manufacturer rating of electric efficiency of the DER, based on higher heating value. For CHP and fuel cells, the higher heating value of natural gas used is 1032 Btu/cf. For ADG, the higher heating value of digester gas used is 600 Btu/cf. See also Electric Efficiency.
Rated Electric Generation (kW) – manufacturer rating of the electric power that can be generated by a generation resource under constant conditions. May be provided as gross or net (of parasitic power). For thermal storage resources, this is an equivalent value calculated from the rated discharge capacity in tons with an assumed baseline efficiency value of 0.55 kW/ton. The rated capacity may vary between technologies and projects but is typically DC for solar technologies. Can be AC or DC for ESS, and AC for all others. If provided, the Database Notes for a given project will specify this.
Rated Electric Storage Capacity (kWh) – manufacturer rating of the electric energy that can be stored by an energy storage resource (AC).
Rated Heat Generation (MBtu/h) – manufacturer rating of the rate that thermal energy can be delivered to a load from a generation resource.
Rated Thermal Energy Discharge Capacity (MBtu/h) – manufacturer rating of the rate that thermal energy can be delivered to a load from an energy storage resource.
Rated Thermal Energy Storage Capacity (MBtu) – manufacturer rating of the total energy able to be stored in an energy storage resource.
Redundancy (N+1) – whether a project is classified to have system redundancy (i.e., N+1). This means that there is one extra redundant unit that is not used under normal conditions. However, the units are often rotated in and out of service.
Rejected Heat – see Heat Rejected.
Scrubber Type – type of gas scrubber included in an ADG system or project.
Subcategory (Facility) – building type / use subcategory. See also Category (Facility).
System – a group of projects that are considered to operate as one system. E.g. a solar PV / battery hybrid system, a microgrid, or a solar PV system that is built in stages.
Thermal Efficiency – useful thermal energy generated during a period divided by the total energy input during the same period of time. Uses a higher heating value (HHV) of 1,032 Btu/cf for natural gas and 600 Btu/cf for biogas.
Tilt – tilt elevation of solar panels from horizontal. See also Azimuth.
Useful Heat – see Heat Used.
Value Stream – activity creating a flow of value. For energy storage resources, value streams either decrease energy bills or increase income.