Knowledge graph

Solar Energy Wiki

Start with a household solar question, then follow reviewed definitions, sources, and relationships.

250 concepts · 176 concept relationships · counts derived from the ontology registry

Start with a question

What are you trying to understand?

Browse by category

Published learning paths

Browse by solar topic

Server-rendered directory

Find a concept

40 results

Reset

Published concepts 40

  • Payback period is the time required for cumulative savings or cash flows to recover an initial investment.

    GS-CONCEPT-015 · Economics · Source event as of August 1, 2024

  • Residential solar installed price is the gross price paid for an installed residential photovoltaic system before incentives, subject to the inclusions and exclusions of the source dataset or quote.

    GS-CONCEPT-017 · Economics · Source event as of December 31, 2023
  • Solar loanPublished

    A solar loan is consumer credit used to purchase residential solar equipment and installation; the borrower owns the purchased system and repays principal and the applicable cost of credit under the agreement.

    GS-CONCEPT-018 · Economics · Source event as of August 7, 2024

  • A residential solar system lease is an agreement in which a provider owns a system installed at a home and the customer pays scheduled amounts for its use during the contract term.

    GS-CONCEPT-019 · Economics · Source event as of August 7, 2024

  • A residential on-site solar power purchase agreement is a contract in which a third-party provider owns and operates a photovoltaic system at a home and the customer purchases the system's generated electricity at a contracted kilowatt-hour price for a defined term.

    GS-CONCEPT-020 · Economics · Source event as of April 9, 2026

  • Solar-loan dealer fee is an industry term used for a financing-related upfront fee or markup in some solar-specific loan programs that may be reflected in the financed system price or contractual principal/note amount.

    GS-CONCEPT-021 · Economics · Source event as of August 7, 2024

  • Solar self-consumption is photovoltaic electricity used by loads behind the relevant customer meter instead of being exported to the grid.

    GS-CONCEPT-068 · Economics · Source event as of February 1, 2021

  • Battery load shifting charges storage during one time period and discharges it during another to change the timing of grid imports, exports, or onsite energy use.

    GS-CONCEPT-069 · Economics · Source event as of December 17, 2023

  • Avoided utility cost is the charge a customer does not incur because onsite generation, storage, or a load change reduces a billable utility quantity under the applicable tariff.

    GS-CONCEPT-070 · Economics · Source event as of December 17, 2023

  • A residual utility bill is the utility bill that remains after the applicable effects of onsite generation, storage, credits, and tariff rules are applied for a billing period.

    GS-CONCEPT-071 · Economics · Source event as of December 17, 2023

  • Solar project cash flow is a dated series of money received and paid for a defined solar ownership or contract perspective over an analysis period.

    GS-CONCEPT-072 · Economics · Source event as of December 17, 2023

  • Net present value is the sum of a defined series of cash flows discounted to one valuation date using a stated discount rate and timing convention.

    GS-CONCEPT-073 · Economics · Source event as of December 17, 2023

  • Internal rate of return is a discount rate at which the net present value of a specified cash-flow series equals zero, when such a solution is defined.

    GS-CONCEPT-074 · Economics · Source event as of December 17, 2023

  • Levelized cost of energy is a discounted lifetime cost measure divided by a discounted lifetime energy measure under a specified method and boundary.

    GS-CONCEPT-075 · Economics · Source event as of December 17, 2023

  • A solar cash purchase is a customer-owned solar purchase whose project acquisition cash flow does not include debt or third-party ownership payments in the modeled transaction.

    GS-CONCEPT-076 · Economics · Source event as of May 15, 2026

  • A solar owner purchase is an acquisition arrangement in which the customer obtains ownership of the installed solar system, using cash or a separate financing obligation.

    GS-CONCEPT-077 · Economics · Source event as of May 15, 2026

  • Annual percentage rate is a measure of the cost of credit expressed as a yearly rate that relates value received by the consumer to the amount and timing of payments under the applicable disclosure rules.

    GS-CONCEPT-078 · Economics · Source event as of January 30, 2024

  • Amount financed is the net amount of credit extended for the consumer's use as calculated under the applicable credit-disclosure rule.

    GS-CONCEPT-079 · Economics · Source event as of August 7, 2024

  • A finance charge is the cost of consumer credit expressed as a dollar amount under the applicable disclosure rule, including charges included by that rule and excluding charges it excludes.

    GS-CONCEPT-080 · Economics · Source event as of August 7, 2024

  • Total of payments is the amount a consumer will have paid after making all scheduled payments under the disclosed credit obligation, as defined by the applicable rule.

    GS-CONCEPT-081 · Economics · Source event date unavailable

  • A solar loan term is the contractual period over which scheduled obligations for a solar-financing loan are due, subject to the agreement's maturity and payment provisions.

    GS-CONCEPT-082 · Economics · Source event as of August 7, 2024

  • A secured solar loan is credit used for a solar purchase that is backed by a security interest or lien in identified property under the agreement and applicable law.

    GS-CONCEPT-083 · Economics · Source event as of August 7, 2024

  • An unsecured solar loan is credit used for a solar purchase that is not backed by collateral identified as securing that obligation under the agreement.

    GS-CONCEPT-084 · Economics · Source event as of August 7, 2024

  • A solar lease escalator is a contract provision that changes scheduled lease payments over time according to a stated rate, amount, index, or formula.

    GS-CONCEPT-085 · Economics · Source event as of August 7, 2024

  • A solar PPA escalator is a contract provision that changes the price paid for generated electricity over time according to a stated rate, amount, index, or formula.

    GS-CONCEPT-086 · Economics · Source event as of July 28, 2026

  • A solar contract buyout is a transaction permitted by a lease or power purchase agreement in which specified rights or system ownership are acquired for a contract-determined amount and under stated conditions.

    GS-CONCEPT-087 · Economics · Source event date unavailable

  • A residential solar quote is a seller's or installer's stated price and proposed scope for specified equipment, design assumptions, services, and commercial terms at a point in time.

    GS-CONCEPT-088 · Economics · Source event as of May 15, 2026

  • A residential solar contract is the executed agreement that states the parties' rights and obligations for a residential solar sale, installation, financing, lease, PPA, service, or related transaction.

    GS-CONCEPT-089 · Economics · Source event as of August 7, 2024

  • A solar workmanship warranty is an installer's or contractor's written promise covering specified defects in installation work for stated periods, remedies, conditions, and exclusions.

    GS-CONCEPT-093 · Economics · Source event as of February 1, 2024

  • A solar equipment warranty is a manufacturer's or supplier's written promise for specified equipment defects, performance, parts, or remedies under stated conditions and periods.

    GS-CONCEPT-094 · Economics · Source event as of February 1, 2024

  • A solar production guarantee is a contract promise that compares defined measured or calculated system production with a stated schedule and provides specified remedies when its conditions are met.

    GS-CONCEPT-095 · Economics · Source event date unavailable

  • CFPB describes principal as the amount borrowed before interest is added.

    GS-CONCEPT-142 · Economics · Source event as of January 23, 2025

  • CFPB defines a loan interest rate as a percentage charged for borrowing money.

    GS-CONCEPT-143 · Economics · Source event as of January 23, 2025

  • CFPB explains amortization as paying off debt over time through scheduled regular payments.

    GS-CONCEPT-144 · Economics · Source event as of September 25, 2024

  • A solar-loan monthly payment is a scheduled installment amount when a loan agreement uses monthly payment timing.

    GS-CONCEPT-145 · Economics · Source event as of September 25, 2024

  • CFPB defines prepayment as paying all or part of a loan before the payment is due.

    GS-CONCEPT-146 · Economics · Source event as of January 23, 2025

  • CFPB defines a prepayment penalty as a fee that a lender may charge when a borrower pays all or part of a loan early.

    GS-CONCEPT-147 · Economics · Source event as of January 23, 2025

  • A solar-loan lien is a security interest or encumbrance described by the applicable financing arrangement, rather than a feature of every solar loan.

    GS-CONCEPT-148 · Economics · Source event as of January 23, 2025

  • California Commercial Code defines a financing statement as a record or records composed of an initial financing statement and related amendments.

    GS-CONCEPT-149 · Economics · Source event as of January 1, 2024

  • Solar-financing transfer is an editorial umbrella for the financing obligation considered when a home with solar is sold.

    GS-CONCEPT-150 · Economics · Source event as of August 7, 2024
Solar Energy Wiki | Geostellar