SEI Solar Vocabulary terms Exam
Question & Answers 2025
What is a Solar Cell? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅a cell
that converts sunlight into electrical energy. It does this
by knocking electrons free causing the electrons to want
to return to their source they do this via electrical wiring
which is how the electricity is captured.
What are P.V. Systems? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅PV
stands for "photovoltaic" or "PV" often called PV systems
there are different types of PV systems, grid-direct, grid
tied with a battery backup, stand alone (off grid).
What is a Grid-Direct System PV? - CORRECT ANSWERS
✅A PV system that can sell electricity to the utility grid;
does not have energy storage and is required to shut
down if the utility is offline
What is a Grid-Tied with Battery Back-Up PV System? -
CORRECT ANSWERS ✅A system that can sell excess
energy to the utility grid and that has batteries to power
backed up loads during a utility outage.
What is a Grid-Connected PV System? - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅A PV System that is tied to the utility grid
including both Grid-Direct and Grid-Tied with battery
backup systems.
,SEI Solar Vocabulary terms Exam
Question & Answers 2025
What is a Stand Alone PV System? - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅Also referred to as an off-grid system, a
system that is not connected to the utility and is the only
power source for the connected
What is a Feed-In Tariff system? - CORRECT ANSWERS
✅An incentive through which a utility or governmental
entity makes payments for electricity to owners of Grid-
connected PV Systems
What is the NABCEP? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅A
national certifying agency for PV, solar, thermal and small
wind installers.
What is Renewable Portfolio standards (RPS)? - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅Standards that specify the minimum
percentage of total generation that a utility is required to
meet from renewable sources
What is Net-Metering? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅A
method for recording the production and consumption of
a site with a grid-connected system; true net-metering
means that the cost of a kilowatt-hour sold to the utility
equals one bought from utility.
,SEI Solar Vocabulary terms Exam
Question & Answers 2025
What is a Kilowatt-hour? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅Is a
unit of measurement for energy, (the equivalent of using
1,000 watts for one hour.
What is Peak demand? - CORRECT ANSWERS
✅Refers to the period of time when a maximum amount
of power supply is needed from the utility. Typically peak-
demand periods coincide with higher electricity rates.
What is a Utility Grid? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅It is
the infrastructure used to generate, transmit, and
distribute electricity.
What is a interconnection agreement? - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅It refers to the policy and electrical
standards for connecting a PV system to the utility grid.
What is the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA)?
- CORRECT ANSWERS ✅It requires utilities to
purchase power from non-utility generators, including
distributed generation such as roof-mounted grid-direct
PV systems.
, SEI Solar Vocabulary terms Exam
Question & Answers 2025
What is a Tiered Rate system? - CORRECT ANSWERS
✅It allows for the utility to charge different prices based
on parameters such as the time of year, time of day or
overall amount of energy consumption.
What is the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)? -
CORRECT ANSWERS ✅It is an individual or
organization that enforces codes and standards in a
particular area, typically via plan review, granting
permits, and performing inspections.
What is a Net Zero building? - CORRECT ANSWERS
✅It is a building that generates as much energy as it
uses.
What is performance-based incentive (PBI)? - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅It is a financial incentive that pays money
for electricity generated usually designed as payment per
kilowatt-hour for a set number of years.
What is a Renewable Energy Certificate (also REC's)? -
CORRECT ANSWERS ✅They are financial mechanism
whereby the renewable "attributes" of an electricity
source are sold by the producer to a customer who
Question & Answers 2025
What is a Solar Cell? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅a cell
that converts sunlight into electrical energy. It does this
by knocking electrons free causing the electrons to want
to return to their source they do this via electrical wiring
which is how the electricity is captured.
What are P.V. Systems? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅PV
stands for "photovoltaic" or "PV" often called PV systems
there are different types of PV systems, grid-direct, grid
tied with a battery backup, stand alone (off grid).
What is a Grid-Direct System PV? - CORRECT ANSWERS
✅A PV system that can sell electricity to the utility grid;
does not have energy storage and is required to shut
down if the utility is offline
What is a Grid-Tied with Battery Back-Up PV System? -
CORRECT ANSWERS ✅A system that can sell excess
energy to the utility grid and that has batteries to power
backed up loads during a utility outage.
What is a Grid-Connected PV System? - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅A PV System that is tied to the utility grid
including both Grid-Direct and Grid-Tied with battery
backup systems.
,SEI Solar Vocabulary terms Exam
Question & Answers 2025
What is a Stand Alone PV System? - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅Also referred to as an off-grid system, a
system that is not connected to the utility and is the only
power source for the connected
What is a Feed-In Tariff system? - CORRECT ANSWERS
✅An incentive through which a utility or governmental
entity makes payments for electricity to owners of Grid-
connected PV Systems
What is the NABCEP? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅A
national certifying agency for PV, solar, thermal and small
wind installers.
What is Renewable Portfolio standards (RPS)? - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅Standards that specify the minimum
percentage of total generation that a utility is required to
meet from renewable sources
What is Net-Metering? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅A
method for recording the production and consumption of
a site with a grid-connected system; true net-metering
means that the cost of a kilowatt-hour sold to the utility
equals one bought from utility.
,SEI Solar Vocabulary terms Exam
Question & Answers 2025
What is a Kilowatt-hour? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅Is a
unit of measurement for energy, (the equivalent of using
1,000 watts for one hour.
What is Peak demand? - CORRECT ANSWERS
✅Refers to the period of time when a maximum amount
of power supply is needed from the utility. Typically peak-
demand periods coincide with higher electricity rates.
What is a Utility Grid? - CORRECT ANSWERS ✅It is
the infrastructure used to generate, transmit, and
distribute electricity.
What is a interconnection agreement? - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅It refers to the policy and electrical
standards for connecting a PV system to the utility grid.
What is the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA)?
- CORRECT ANSWERS ✅It requires utilities to
purchase power from non-utility generators, including
distributed generation such as roof-mounted grid-direct
PV systems.
, SEI Solar Vocabulary terms Exam
Question & Answers 2025
What is a Tiered Rate system? - CORRECT ANSWERS
✅It allows for the utility to charge different prices based
on parameters such as the time of year, time of day or
overall amount of energy consumption.
What is the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)? -
CORRECT ANSWERS ✅It is an individual or
organization that enforces codes and standards in a
particular area, typically via plan review, granting
permits, and performing inspections.
What is a Net Zero building? - CORRECT ANSWERS
✅It is a building that generates as much energy as it
uses.
What is performance-based incentive (PBI)? - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✅It is a financial incentive that pays money
for electricity generated usually designed as payment per
kilowatt-hour for a set number of years.
What is a Renewable Energy Certificate (also REC's)? -
CORRECT ANSWERS ✅They are financial mechanism
whereby the renewable "attributes" of an electricity
source are sold by the producer to a customer who
