Glossary Category 1: Energy Project Types & Technologies
Renewable Energy Development Terms
Utility-Scale Solar
Definition:
Large photovoltaic (PV) systems designed to generate electricity at a scale that feeds directly into the grid, typically ranging from 5 MW to several hundred MW.
Example:
A 150 MW solar farm in Texas under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a utility to deliver energy to the ERCOT grid.
Common Stakeholders:
Developers, Independent Power Producers (IPPs), Utilities, ISO/RTOs, Landowners.
Community Solar
Definition:
A solar project where multiple customers—such as homeowners or renters—buy or subscribe to a portion of the power produced, typically located off-site.
Example:
A 5 MW array built on leased farmland, where residents in the local utility’s service area subscribe to get credits on their electricity bill.
Note:
Often enabled by state programs or mandates (e.g., Colorado’s Community Solar Gardens Act).
Behind-the-Meter (BTM) Solar
Definition:
A solar system installed on-site (e.g., rooftop or ground-mounted) that directly serves the electricity needs of the building or facility.
Example:
A 2 MW solar array built behind the meter at a hyperscale data center, reducing demand charges and improving sustainability metrics.
Regulatory Note:
Typically not subject to wholesale market rules, but may still require local permitting and utility interconnection approval.
Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
Definition:
An energy storage facility (usually lithium-ion) that stores electricity and dispatches it when needed—often co-located with solar or wind to improve reliability or capture peak pricing.
Example:
A 100 MW / 400 MWh BESS in California that charges during low-cost midday solar generation and discharges during evening demand peaks.
Permitting Agencies:
Local zoning boards, fire marshals, utilities, and sometimes state energy offices.
Standalone BESS
Definition:
A battery facility not directly coupled with generation, designed purely to store and shift grid energy.
Example:
A 50 MW BESS in Arizona operating in the energy arbitrage market—buying when prices are low, selling when prices are high.
Note:
These may be regulated as generation assets under FERC’s Order 841 (for participation in wholesale markets).
Wind Farm (Onshore)
Definition:
A group of wind turbines located on land, generating electricity from wind energy, typically at utility scale.
Example:
A 200 MW wind farm in Iowa spread across leased farmland, interconnected to the Midcontinent ISO (MISO) grid.
Land Acquisition:
Wind developers often lease rather than purchase land, and turbine spacing requires large acreage.
Offshore Wind
Definition:
Wind turbines located in oceans or large lakes, connected to the grid via undersea transmission cables.
Example:
The Vineyard Wind project off Massachusetts coast—800 MW capacity, with federal approval from BOEM and transmission landing onshore.
Agencies Involved:
BOEM (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management), U.S. Coast Guard, State Energy Offices.
Hybrid Project
Definition:
A renewable energy project that combines multiple technologies—typically solar + battery, or wind + battery—on the same site or under a single interconnection.
Example:
A hybrid project in Nevada combining 100 MW of solar with a 25 MW / 100 MWh battery, both sharing a single substation and interconnection point.
Benefits:
Improved capacity factor, flexible dispatch, and grid support.
Greenfield Project
Definition:
A project built on previously undeveloped land—often agricultural or vacant land with no existing infrastructure.
Example:
A utility-scale solar farm on ranchland in West Texas that required new road access, transmission interconnection, and full environmental studies.
Risk Consideration:
Requires full permitting, new transmission infrastructure, and environmental diligence from scratch.
Brownfield / Redevelopment Site
Definition:
A renewable project built on previously developed, possibly contaminated land (e.g., landfills, industrial sites).
Example:
A 10 MW solar project on a capped landfill in New Jersey under a state brownfield redevelopment incentive.
Advantages:
Infrastructure may already exist, and permitting can be easier due to reuse incentives.
Microgrid
Definition:
A small-scale power grid that can operate independently or in conjunction with the larger grid, often integrating solar, batteries, and generators.
Example:
A data center campus with its own microgrid combining rooftop solar, a BESS, and diesel backup to maintain uptime during outages.
Use Case:
Resiliency for hospitals, campuses, or mission-critical facilities.
Power-to-X (PtX)
Definition:
A class of technologies that convert electricity (often from renewables) into other energy forms—like hydrogen (Power-to-H2), fuels, or heat.
Example:
A pilot project using excess wind energy to produce green hydrogen via electrolysis for industrial use.
Regulatory Note:
Emerging technology—permitting and incentives vary by state and utility territory.