English Glossary

frequency

The requirement or ability of a generating unit to remain connected during grid faults which can result in temporary under voltages (during a fault) or over voltages (after a fault is cleared) outside of the normal operating range of voltage. It is also called low voltage ride through (LVRT), high voltage ride through (HVRT) or fault ride through (FRT).

free cash flow

An analysis of the ability to complete a project successfully, taking into account legal, economic, technological, scheduling and other factors. Rather than just diving into a project and hoping for the best, a feasibility study allows project managers to investigate the possible negative and positive outcomes of a project before investing too much time and money.

A meter in a grid-connected installation used to measure the amount of electricity fed onto the grid.

Similar to a FiT, but based on offering a floating or variable premium on top of the prevailing electricity market price.

Renewable energy support mechanism that offers a fixed purchase price ($/kWh) to renewable energy producers for the electricity they produce, often in the form of a long-term contract. Purchase prices are often differentiated by technology, project size, application (e.g. rooftop vs. ground-mounted PV), and occasionally by resource quality (to avoid windfall profits at higher quality resource sites)

Input material for a process, also called substrate.

Fermentation is a metabolic process that converts sugar to acids, gases or alcohol. Decomposition of an organic substance.

A device that collects impurities out of a fluid

The date on which all project contracts and financing documentation are signed and conditions precedent to initial drawing of the debt have been satisfied or waived.

(fin.) The assumed value of an asset at the end of a loan, lease, or pro forma cash flow.

The specific mixture of long–term debt and equity that a company or project uses to finance its purpose. This financial structure is a mixture that directly affects the risk and value of the business.

The ability of a project to provide acceptable returns to equity holders and to service its debt on time and in full.

The documents which provide the project financing and sponsor support for the project as defined by the project contracts.

feed-in premium

Theoretical term describing a capacity with an availability of 100%. Sometimes also used for the total capacity of a system that has an extremely high availability (e.g. 99%). Firm capacity is the amount of energy available for production or transmission which can be (and in many cases must be) guaranteed to be available at a given time.

First generation biofuels' are made from sugar, starch, vegetable oil or animal fats using conventional technology. Vegetable oils are converted into biodiesel, starch is fermented into bioethanol.

feed-in tariff

Operating cost which does not vary per unit of output.