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Lexikon > Glossar

English Glossary and List of Acronyms

This page lists English terms in the area of energy, briefly explains them and
gives the German translation with a link to a German encyclopedia article. At the
bottom, you also find a list of acronyms.

(Diese Seite listet englische Fachbegriffe auf, erklärt sie kurz, gibt ihre deutsche
Übersetzung und verweist auf deutsche Lexikonartikel. Unten finden Sie
ebenfalls eine Liste von Akronymen.)

Sorry, English translations of the encyclopedia articles are not available – maybe
they will be in some future. Maybe you want to use some automatic translation
tools in the meantime, such as Google translate.

There is also a German glossary of energy terms.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M
 N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A
absorption heat pump: a heat pump which is driven by high-temperature heat
instead of a mechanical drive → Absorptionswärmepumpe

adsorption heat pump: a heat pump based on adsorption and desorption

→ Adsorptionswärmepumpe

accumulator: a rechargeable battery → Akkumulator

air conditioner: a machine which can create comfortable air condition in a room
by cooling and possibly dehydration → Klimaanlage

air dehumidifier: a device which decreases humidity of the air in a room

→ Luftentfeuchter

air exhange rate: the ratio of added fresh air volume per hour to the air volume
of a room → Luftwechselrate

air drag: a friction force which occurs when a body is moved through air
→ Luftwiderstand

air humidifier: a device which increases humidity of the air in a room

→ Luftbefeuchter

air pollutants: substances in air which are not naturally there and have adverse
effects → Luftschadstoffe

air pollution: the contamination of air with pollutants → Luftverschmutzung

air-to-air heat pump: a heat pump which transfers heat from air to air
→ Luft/Luft-Wärmepumpe

air-to-water heat pump: a heat pump which transfers heat from air to water
→ Luft/Wasser-Wärmepumpe

alternating current: an electric current which oscillates → Wechselstrom

alternator: an eletrical generator in a vehicle → Lichtmaschine

ammonia: a toxic substance with substantial importance for various fields of
technology → Ammoniak

ampere: the basic unit of the electric current → Ampere

ampere hour: a unit for electrical charges → Amperestunde

anergy: energy which can not do work → Anergie

anergy network: a network delivering heat low temperatures → Anergienetz

annual efficiency: the ratio of generated useful energy to consumed energy in

fuels → Jahresnutzungsgrad

annual load duration: a curve which shows the at least delivered or consumed
electrical power as a function of the duration within a year → Jahresdauerlinie

annual peak load = the maximum power during one year → Jahreshöchstlast

anti-knock properties: the potential of a fuel to avoid problems with

uncontrolled ignition → Klopffestigkeit

apparent power: the product of the effective values of voltage and current
→ Scheinleistung

atomic energy: energy from nuclear process → Atomenergie or Kernenergie

automatic engine shut-off: automatic switching off of the engine of a car

→ Start-Stopp-Automatik

auxiliary power: power required by internal machines in a power station

→ Eigenbedarf

aviation petrol: petrol for small airplanes → Flugbenzin

Atkinson engine: a modified Otto engine with higher efficiency → Atkinson-

Motor

B
back to back converter: a device for transferring power between two AC
networks → Gleichstromkurzkupplung

balance energy: energy for compensating unforeseen deviations of electricity

generation and/or consumption in some region → Ausgleichsenergie
balancing services: services which are required for stable operation of electricity
grids → Systemdienstleistungen

ballast: a device for limiting an operation current, e.g. for a fluorescent lamp
→ Drosselspule

barrel: the usual units for quantities of crude oil → Barrel

base load: the part of electrical power consumption which always occurs
→ Grundlast

baseload delivery: delivery of energy with a constant power over a longer period
→ Bandlieferung

battery: an electrochemical devices providing electric energy → Batterie

battery charger: a device for recharging accumulators → Ladegerät

benzene: a simple hydrocarbon → Benzol

binding energy: the energy required to separate e.g. a molecule into single
atoms → Bindungsenergie

biodiesel: a diesel fuel (or substitute for it) made from biomass → Biodiesel

bioenergy crops: plants which are grown in order to harvest energy

→ Energiepflanzen

bioethanol: ethanol alcohole made from biomass → Bioethanol

bioethanol furnace: a furnace using bioethanol as fuel → Bioethanolofen

biohydrogen: hydrogen gas made from dead biomass or using living biomass
→ Biowasserstoff

biomass: renewable materials of biological origin, which is often used for energy
generation → Biomasse

biomass fuel: fuel produced from biomass → Biokraftstoff

biomass gasification: the production of combustible gases from biomass

→ Biomassevergasung

biomethane: methane (CH4) with the quality of natural gas, made from biomass
→ Biomethan
bivalent or monovalent machines: machines which can use two (bivalent) or only
one (bivalent) component or fuel e.g. for generating heat → bivalente und
monovalente Anlagen

black start: the start of a power station without support from the electricity grid
→ Schwarzstart

blackout: a power failure → Stromausfall

block heat and power plant: a modular power station for combined heat and
power generation: Blockheizkraftwerk

blow-in insulation: an insulation which is made by blowing some material into a

cavity → Einblasdämmung

blower: a device for moving air against a low pressure → Ventilator

blower door test: a measurement of the airtightness of a building → Blower-

Door-Test

boiler: a combustion device used e.g. for a central heating system → Heizkessel,
or a device for generating steam → Dampfkessel

bottleneck capacity: the maximum power which an electric power generation

facility can provide → Engpassleistung

breeder reactor: a nuclear reactor in which new nuclear fuel is breeded by

irridation of other substances → Brutreaktor

brine-to-water heat pump: a heat pump using a brine for heat transport
→ Sole/Wasser-Wärmepumpe

British Thermal Unit (BTU): a unit for amounts of energy → British Thermal
Unit

building physics: physics with relevance for buildings → Bauphysik

burn-off: burning of waste materials without using the heat → Abfackelung

burnable gas → Brenngas

burner: a device for combusting a fuel O Brenner

burning point: the minimum temperatur where a substances can be set to fire
→ Flammpunkt

butane: a carbon hydrate gas → Butan

C
caloric value: the amount of heat which can be produced from some fuel
→ Heizwert

caloric value boiler: a boiler which condenses water vapour in the exhaust gas in
order to utilize the upper heating value → Brennwertkessel

capacitor: a device for electrical energy storage → Kondensator

capacity of a battery: the electric charge or energy which it can supply

→ Kapazität einer Batterie

carbon bubble: a speculative bubble in the context of fossile energy

→ Kohlenstoffblase

carbon dioxide: a gas with global warming potential, which is created in many
combustion processes → Kohlendioxid

carbon hydrates: substances consisting only of carbon and hydrogen atoms

→ Kohlenwasserstoffe

carbon monoxide: a poisonous gas, which can be created in combustion

processes → Kohlenmonoxid

carburator: a device for mixing fuel and air for an Otto engine → Vergaser

Carnot efficiency: the theoretical upper bound for the efficiency of a heat engine
→ Carnot-Wirkungsgrad

catalytic converter: a device for removing certain substances from exhaust gases
→ Abgaskatalysator

cealing heating: a heating system installed in the ceiling of a room

→ Deckenheizung

central heating system: a central system for heating a building

→ Zentralheizung
central-heating boiler: a boiler used for a central heating system → Heizkessel

charger: a device for recharging accumulators → Ladegerät

charging of electric cars → Laden von Elektroautos

chemical energy: energy which is stored in chemical form and can be released in
chemical reactions → chemische Energie

chemical energy storage: storing energy in chemical substances → chemische

Energiespeicherung

chiller: a machine for cooling → Kältemaschine

chimney: a high-temperature resistant facility for guiding exhaust gases

→ Schornstein

choke: an inductor coil, used in certain electrical circuits → Drosselspule

circulation pump: a pump which circulates the water in a central heating system
→ Heizungs-Umwälzpumpe

city gas: a combustible gas, which is normally generated by gasification of coal

→ Stadtgas

Clausius Rankine cycle: a thermodynamic cycle describing the basic operation

principle of steam turbines → Clausius-Rankine-Kreisprozess

clean energy: usable energy which can be provided and used without special
environmental hazards → saubere Energie

climate engineering: the use of large-scale technical means for influencing the
climate → Climate Engineering

climate hazards: hazards arising from global climate change → Klimagefahren

climate hysteria: an allegedly hysterical reaction to climate change

→ Klimahysterie

climate-neutral: without impact on the global climate → klimaneutral

climate protection: measures for reducing climate hazards → Klimaschutz

CO2 abatement cost: the cost to avoid CO2 emissions → CO2-

Vermeidungskosten
CO2 budget: the maximum amount of carbon dioxide, which can be emitted
from a certain time on such that a certain CO2 concentration in the atmosphere
is not exceeded → CO2-Budget

CO2 compensation: the compensation of CO2 emissions with measures at other

places → CO2-Kompensation

CO2 equivalents: a measure for the climate impact of a substance or activity

→ CO2-Äquivalente

CO2-free: not causing CO2 emissions → CO2-frei

CO2 pricing: methods for increasing the cost of CO2 emissions in the interest of
climate protection → CO2-Bepreisung

co-firing: the common combustion of different materials, e.g. of wood together

with coal → Mitverbrennung

co-generation: combined generation of power and heat → Kraft-Wärme-

Kopplung

co-generation power station: a power station which is also delivering useful heat
→ Heizkraftwerk

coal: a solid fossil energy carrier, created by carbonization of biomass over long
times → Kohle

coal equivalent → Steinkohleeinheit

coal gasification: a process to produce combustible gases from coal

→ Kohlevergasung

coal liquefaction: a process to produce liquid fuels from coal

→ Kohleverflüssigung

coal phase-out: abandoning the use of coal for energy generation

→ Kohleausstieg

coal power station: a power station using energy of coal → Kohlekraftwerk

coefficient of heat transmission: a measure for the tendency of a structure to

cause heat losses → Wärmedurchgangskoeffizient
coefficient of performance
→ Leistungszahl einer Wärmepumpe; Wärmeverhältnis einer Kältemaschine

cold reserve: power plants, which are normally not operated, but are available in
case of shortages → Kaltreserve

cold start: the start of an engine in a cold state → Kaltstart

combined cycle power station: a power station using a combination of a gas

turbine and a steam turbine → Gas-und-Dampf-Kombikraftwerk

combustion: a chemical reaction between a fuel and air or oxygen

→ Verbrennung

combustion-air ratio: the ratio of actual and stoichimetric quantities of air in a

combustion process → Verbrennungsluftverhältnis

combustion motor: a motor which is powered by combustion of a fuel

→ Verbrennungsmotor

combustion point: the minimum temperature for igniting a permanent flame

→ Brennpunkt

communal heating power station: a modular power station for combined heat
and power generation → Blockheizkraftwerk

compressed air energy storage: energy storage based on compressed air

→ Druckluftspeicherkraftwerk

compression heat pump: a heat pump based on compression and expansion of

a medium → Kompressionswärmepumpe

condensation heat: the amount of heat which is released when a gas is

condensed → Verdampfungswärme und Kondensationswärme

condenser: a device for electrical energy storage, or for condensing a gas

→ Kondensator

condensing boiler: a boiler which condenses water vapour in the exhaust gas in
order to utilize the upper heating value → Brennwertkessel

connected rating: the maximum power which a device may use

→ Anschlussleistung
constant temperature boiler: a boiler operating with an approximately constant
(and normally high) temperature → Konstanttemperaturheizkessel

control reserve: a reserve of power generation (or consumption) capacities for

compensating fluctuations in power generation and demand → Regelenergie

convection: recirculation of a gas or liquid, often driven by temperature

differences → Konvektion

converter: a facility which can convert electrical energy from one form to
another → Umformer

cooling: removing heat from a body → Kälte

cooling capacity: the amount of heat per unit time which can be removed by a
cooling device → Kälteleistung

cooling tower: a large installation to dissipate waste heat → Kühlturm

customer generation: the generation of electrical energy with own installations

→ Eigenerzeugung

cycle recognition: the automatic recognition of a test drive cycle by an electronic

control unit of a vehicle → Zykluserkennung

cycle stretchout: the continued operation of a nuclear reactor with used-up

nuclear fuel → Streckbetrieb

cyclic operation: reduced average power operation of a device by switching it on

and off → Taktbetrieb

cylinder cut-off: the temporary disabling of one certain cylinders of an engine

under conditions of low power demand → Zylinderabschaltung

D
daily temperature figure: a measure for the climate conditions at the place of a
building, which influences the amount of energy required for heating
→ Gradtagszahl

daylight lamp: a lamp, the optical spectrum of which closely matches that of
daylight → Tageslichtlampe
decarbonization: the change of our energy supply system such that less carbon
is turned over

decentralized combined heat and power station: a modular power station for
combined heat and power generation → Blockheizkraftwerk

decentralized energy generation: energy generation in small, distributed engines

→ dezentrale Energieerzeugung

deep energy retrofit: improvements done to existing buildings in order to reduce

the energy consumption → energetische Sanierung von Gebäuden

deep geothermal energy: the use of geothermal energy from high depth → tiefe
Geothermie

defeat devices in the exhaust gas treatment: devices which deactivate the
exhaust gas treatment e.g. in a car → Abschalteinrichtung bei der
Abgasreinigung

dehumidifier: a device which decreases humidity of the air in a room

→ Luftentfeuchter

delta connection: a way of connecting equipment to a three-phase current

system → Dreieckschaltung

demand charge: a price which depends on the maximum required power

→ Leistungspreis

demand side management: measures for adapting the consumption to the free
generation capacities in an electricity network → Lastmanagement

dew point: the temperature to which air would have to be cooled in order to
start condensation of water → Taupunkt

direct current: an electric current which always flows in the same direction
→ Gleichstrom

diesel-electric drive: a drive system with a diesel engine, an electrical generator

and electric motor → dieselelektrischer Antrieb

diesel engine: a combustion engine with inner combustion and self-ignition

diesel fuel: a liquid fuel for use in diesel engines → Dieselkraftstoff

dimmer: a device for regulating the brightness of lamps → Dimmer

direct evaporation and condensation: an energy-saving technique for heat

pumps and chillers → Direktverdampfung und Direktkondensation

dishwasher: a machine which can wash dishes → Geschirrspülmaschine

dissipation: a process where a regular movement is converted into irregular

movement → Dissipation

distortion reactive power: reactive power caused by nonlinear distortions of the

current → Verzerrungsblindleistung

distribution network: a network for distributing electricity or natural gas

→ Verteilungsnetz

distribution network operator: the operator of a distribution network

→ Verteilungsnetzbetreiber

double layer brick wall: a brick wall consisting of two layers with a cavity in
between → Zweischalenmauerwerk

downsizing of engines: the reduction of size of engines, frequently without a loss

of output power → Downsizing von Verbrennungsmotoren

drive cycle recognition: the automatic recognition of a test drive cycle by an

electronic control unit of a vehicle → Zykluserkennung

driving resistance: the sum of all forces which need to be overcome to move a
vehicle → Fahrwiderstand

drop-in fuel: a fuel which can directly replace conventional fuels → Drop-in-
Kraftstoff

dump gas: combustible gas which is released from organic waste in landfills
→ Deponiegas

E
earth leakage circuit breaker: a safety device for preventing deadly electric
shocks → Fehlerstrom-Schutzschalter

earth tube collector: a heat exchanger with contact to earth → Erdregister

economiser: a component for increasing the energy efficiency, e.g. in steam
turbine power station → Economiser

effective voltage or current: the square root of the mean squared voltage or
current → Effektivwert von Spannung und Stromstärke

efficiency factor: the fraction of input energy which is obtained in the desired
form → Wirkungsgrad

electric boiler: a boiler heated with electricity → Elektroboiler

electric car: a car with an electric drive → Elektroauto

electric current: the transported electric charge per unit time → elektrische
Stromstärke

electric generator: a machine which converts mechanical energy to electrical

energy → Generator

electric heat: heat generated from electrical energy → Elektrowärme

electric heat pump: a heat pump driven with an electric motor

→ Elektrowärmepumpe

electric heating: a heating system directly using electric energy

→ Elektroheizung

electric heating rod: a rod-shaped electric heater device → Elektroheizstab

electric mobility: locomotion based on electricity → Elektromobilität

electric motor: a motor working with electrical energy → Elektromotor

electric thermal storage heating: an electric heating system containing a thermal

storage → Elektrospeicherheizung

electric voltage: the electric energy per unit charge → elektrische Spannung

electrical energy: energy which is supplied or stored based on electricity

→ elektrische Energie

electrical energy gap: a shortage of electricity → Stromlücke

electrical supply company: a company supplying electrical

energy: Energieversorgungsunternehmen
electricity bill: a bill for electrical energy → Stromrechnung

electricity grid: a network of power lines for distribution of electrical energy

→ Stromnetz

electricity market: a market for electrical energy → Strommarkt

electricity meter: a device for measuring consumed amounts of electrical energy

→ Stromzähler

electricity mix: the composition of sources of electrical energy → Strommix

electricity network charges: charges covering the cost of building, maintaining

and operating electricity networks → Netznutzungsentgelt

electricity price: a price for electrical energy → Strompreis

electricity tariff: a set of rules for calculating the price of electrical energy
→ Stromtarif

electrification: utilization of electricity for certain purposes → Elektrifizierung

electrode boiler: a device for electric heating of water → Elektrodenkessel

electrolysis: an electrochemical process where chemical processes are driven by

electrical energy → Elektrolyse

electron volt: an energy unit which is common in physics → Elektronenvolt

electronic ballast: an electronic device for operating fluorescent lamps

→ elektronisches Vorschaltgerät

embodied energy: energy which is required for producing certain goods

→ graue Energie

emergency power supply: equipment for providing electrical energy in

emergencies → Notstromversorgung

emission trading: trading with emission certificates as part of cap & trade system
→ Emissionshandel

emissions: the release of pollutants or other disturbing substances or radiation

→ Emissionen und Immissionen
emissivity: a measure for the tendency of a material to exchange energy via
thermal radiation → Emissionsgrad

endothermic reaction: a chemical reaction which consumes heat

→ endotherme Reaktion

energy: a concept of physics related to the ability to do work → Energie

energy autarky: providing energy without external dependencies

→ Energieautarkie

energy balance of a building: a summarized consideration of energy flows, often

of heat flows → Energiebilanz eines Gebäudes

energy carrier: a substance or medium with which energy can be stored and
transported

energy conservation: the principle that energy cannot disappear or come from
nothing → Energieerhaltung

energy consumption: the turnover of energy or consumption of energy carriers

→ Energieverbrauch

energy contracting: contracts for energy services → Energie-Contracting

energy density: the energy per volume or mass unit → Energiedichte

energy degradation: the loss of usable energy → Energieentwertung

energy efficiency: efficiency in the conversion or utilization of energy

→ Energieeffizienz

energy efficiency ratio: a measure for the energy efficiency of a cooling device
→ Energy Efficiency Ratio

energy-efficient house → Niedrigenergiehaus

energy generation: the generation of energy in a particular form

→ Energieerzeugung

energy labeling: using labels for indicating the energy consumption or efficiency
of devices → Energieverbrauchskennzeichnung

energy monitor: a device for measuring energy consumption → Energiemonitor

energy-only market → Energy-only-Markt

energy payback period: the operation time which a renewable energy facility
requires to deliver as much energy as has been required to construct it
→ energetische Amortisationszeit

energy performance certificate for buildings: a document which assesses the

energy efficiency performance of a building → Gebäudeenergieausweis

energy policy: political activities related to energy questions → Energiepolitik

energy poverty: a lack of energy which means that essential needs cannot be
fulfilled → Energiearmut

energy productivity: a measure for the energy efficiency of an economy

→ Energieproduktivität

energy rate: a cost per consumed kilowatt hour → Arbeitspreis

energy revolution: the realization of a sustainable energy system

→ Energiewende

energy saving: activities which reduce the energy consumption

→ Energiesparen

energy-saving lamp: a compact lamp with reduced electricity consumption

→ Energiesparlampe

energy-saving mode: a mode of device where the energy consumption is

reduced → Energiesparmodus

energy-saving paint: a paint which promises to reduce heat losses

→ Energiesparfarbe

energy service: a service which is intimately related to energy consumption

→ Energiedienstleistung

energy storage: a device or facility which can accept energy and release it later
on → Energiespeicher

energy tax: a tax on energy carriers → Energiesteuer

engine: a machine e.g. for propelling an airplane → Triebwerk

engine break: the use of an engine for braking → Motorbremse

engine idling: operating an engine without power generation → Leerlauf

enthalpy: a measure for the energy of a thermodynamic system or the energy

turnover of a process, which takes into account the ambient pressure
→ Enthalpie

entropy: a quantity in thermodynamics which is related to disorder of a system

→ Entropie

equipment (in electrical technology): an object which is used for generating,

transporting, storing or applying electrical energy → Betriebsmittel

Ericsson engine: a hot air engine somewhat similar to the Stirling engine
→ Ericssonmotor

ethanol: the most common form of alcohol → Ethanol

European electricity network system: the central European system of

interconnected electricity networks → europäisches Verbundsystem

evaporation heat: the amount of heat required to evaporate a liquid

→ Verdampfungswärme und Kondensationswärme

evaporative emissions: emissions e.g. of hydrocarbons by unwanted

evaporation of fuels → Verdunstungsemissionen

evaporator: a device for evaporating some fluid → Verdampfer

exergy: energy in high-quality form, suitable for doing work → Exergie

exhaust air heat pump: a heat pump which obtains heat from exhaust air
→ Abluftwärmepumpe

exhaust duct: a duct for guiding exhaust gases → Abgasleitung

exhaust gas: a gas (normally a product of combustion) which is no longer usable

→ Abgas

exhaust gas loss: the energy loss via exhaust gases → Abgasverlust

exhaust gas quality: a qualitative measure for poisoneous contents in exhaust

gases → Abgasqualität
exhaust gas temperature: the temperature of exhaust gas → Abgastemperatur

exhaust recuperation: the recirculation of exhaust gas in a combustion process

→ Abgasrückführung

exothermic reaction: a chemical reaction which releases heat → exotherme

Reaktion

external cost: negative effects e.g. of energy use which is not contained in the
paid prices → externe Kosten

F
fan: a device for moving air against a low pressure → Ventilator

fan heater: a heater device containing a fan → Heizlüfter

fault current protection switch: a safety device for preventing deadly electric
shocks → Fehlerstrom-Schutzschalter

feed-in management: the management of the generation of electrical energy for

the power grid → Einspeisemanagement

feed-in tariff: the financial return for energy fed into the power grid
→ Einspeisevergütung

Ferranti effect: the occurrence of over-voltages due to blind current effects in

transmission lines → Ferranti-Effekt

final energy: energy in the form in which it arrives at the consumer

→ Endenergie

firewood → Holz

flameless oxidation: an oxidation process with exhaust gas recirculation, where

no visible flame occurs → flammenlose Oxidation

flashing point: the minimum temperatur where a substances can be set to fire
→ Flammpunkt

fleet consumption: the average fuel consumption of a vehicle fleet

→ Flottenverbrauch

floor heating: a heating system which heats the floor → Fußbodenheizung

flow heater: a device which heats water while it is flowing through
→ Durchlauferhitzer

flow temperature: the temperature of hot water supplied in a central heating

system → Vorlauftemperatur

flue: a high-temperature resistant facility for guiding exhaust gases

→ Schornstein

fluorescent lamp: a lamp where a fluorescent layer is excited by ultraviolet

radiation from a gas discharge → Leuchtstofflampe

fluorocarbons or fluorinated hydrocarbons: substances obtained by partly or

fully replacing hydrogen with fluorine in hydrocarbons
→ Fluorkohlenwasserstoffe

flywheel generator: a mechanical energy storage device based on one or several

flywheels → Schwungradspeicher

force: energy per unit distance → Kraft

fossil energy carrier: chemical energy carriers which have been formed from
dead biomass over a long time → fossile Energieträger

four-stroke engine: an internal combustion engine where one combustion cycle

has four strokes → Viertaktmotor

four-wire system: an electric transmission system using four active conductors

→ Dreileiter- und Vierleiternetz

fracking: a method for increasing the permeability of underground rock

→ Fracking

free cooling: methods of cooling with a very low energy consumption → free
cooling

free ventilation: methods of ventilation which do not require ventilators

→ natürliche Lüftung

frequency control in transmission networks: the control of the AC frequency in

electric transmission networks → Frequenzregelung im Stromnetz
fresh water power station: a water power station working with fresh water
→ Trinkwasserkraftwerk

friction: a process where a regular movement is hindered → Reibung

fuel: a substance which can be burned in order to generated heat → Brennstoff

fuel cutoff in overrun: switching off the fuel supply of an engine when it is driven
→ Schubabschaltung

fuel assembly: an assembly of fuel rods for use in a nuclear reactor

→ Brennelement

fuel cell: an electrochemical device for power generation, using a fuel brought in
from outside → Brennstoffzelle

fuel gas: a burnable gas → Brenngas

fuel injection: a method for supplying fuel to a combustion engine

→ Kraftstoffeinspritzung

fuel oil: a fuel based on mineral oil, used for heating purposes → Heizöl

fuel rod: a rod containing a nuclear fuel → Brennstab

fuel saving: reducing the amount of fuel consumption → Kraftstoff sparen

full load hours: a measure for the utilization of a power plant

→ Volllaststunden

full load operation: operation of a machine with full power → Volllastbetrieb

fungi in rooms: a microbial problem → Schimmel in Wohnräumen

G
gas condensate: a fraction of raw natural gas which can be liquid at room
temperature and normal pressure → Gaskondensat

gas discharge lamp: a lamp in which an electrical gas discharge is utilized

→ Gasentladungslampe

gas expansion engine: an engine which is driven by a compressed gas (e.g. air)
→ Gasexpansionsmotor
gas-fired power station: a power station using natural gas → Gaskraftwerk

gas heating: a heating system using gas, normally natural gas → Gasheizung

gas motor: a combustion motor using a gas as fuel → Gasmotor

gas-powered heat pump: a heat pump which is operated using gas, e.g. natural
gas → Gas-Wärmepumpe

gas turbine: a turbine which is driven with a hot gas → Gasturbine

gaseous fuel → Brenngas

gasoline: a liquid fuel, which is mostly used for gasoline engines → Benzin

generator: a machine which converts mechanical energy to electrical energy

→ Generator

geothermal energy: heat and electrical power extracted from the ground
→ Geothermie

gravity system: a circulation system for hot water without a pumping, exploiting
natural convection → Schwerkraftsystem

green electricity: electrical energy which is generated in environmentally friendly

ways → Ökostrom

green fuel: environmentally benign fuel, mostly fuel produced from biomass
→ Biokraftstoff

greenhouse effect: the rise of temperature in a greenhouse and on earth as a

consequence of manipulation the radiation balance → Treibhauseffekt

grid parity: equality of cost of own power generation and getting power from the
public grid → Netzparität

grid stability system: a system for maintaining the stability of an electricity grid
under difficult circumstances → Netzstabilitätsanlage

grid voltage: the electrical voltage in an electricity grid → Netzspannung

grid voltage stabilization: the stabilization of the grid voltage

→ Spannungshaltung
grounding equipment conductor: a conductor which is used for safety grounding
of electrical eqipment → Schutzleiter

H
half-time: the time after which an exponentially decaying quantity has been
reduced by a factor of 2 → Halbwertszeit

halogen lamp: a special kind of incandenscent lamp with a halogen gas filling
→ Halogenlampe

halogen-metal vapour lamp: a gas discharge lamp containing a mixture of metal

vapour and halogens → Halogen-Metalldampflampe

heat: thermal energy → Wärme

heat capacity: a measure for the capability of an object to store heat

→ Wärmekapazität

heat conduction: the transport of heat in a medium → Wärmeleitung

heat conductivity: the ability of a material to conduct heat

→ Wärmeleitfähigkeit

heat cost allocator: a device used for allocating cost for heating
→ Heizkostenverteiler

heat engine: a machine which can partly convert heat to power

→ Wärmekraftmaschine

heat exchanger: a device which can transfer heat from one medium to another
→ Wärmeübertrager

heat insulation: the minimization of heat losses or heat inflow → Wärmeschutz

heat loss from transmission: heat loss of a building due to heat transmission
→ Transmissionswärmeverlust

heat meter: a device for measuring delivered thermal energy

→ Wärmemengenzähler

heat pipe: a device which transports heats, using a medium which is repeatedly
evaporated and condensed → Wärmerohr
heat pump: a device which can generate useful heat partially by extracting it
from colder bodies → Wärmepumpe

heat pump system: a heating system based on a heat pump

→ Wärmepumpenheizung

heat radiation: electromagnetic radiation emitted by warm bodies

→ Wärmestrahlung

heat recovery: the recovery of heat for use → Wärmerückgewinnung

heat storage: a storage device for heat → Wärmespeicher, Pufferspeicher

heat transfer coefficient: a measure for the strength of heat transfer at a

boundary → Wärmeübergangskoeffizient

heater: a device for heating a room → Heizkörper

heater blower: a powerful heater containing a burner and a powerful ventilator

→ Heizgebläse

heater exponent: a quantity describing the dependence of the heating power on

the temperatur difference → Heizkörperexponent

heating cost: cost caused for the heating of a building → Heizkosten

heating electricity: electrical energy which is used for heating systems

→ Heizstrom

heating load: the required or applied heat power e.g. in building or a room
→ Heizlast

heating plant: a facility producing thermal heat → Heizwerk

heating system: a system used for heating a building → Heizungsanlage

heating value: the amount of heat which can be produced from some fuel when
the water vapour in the exhaust gas is not condensed → Heizwert

heavy oil: a very viscous fuel from mineral oil → Schweröl

high voltage: voltages above 1 kV → Hochspannung

high-voltage direct current transmission: the transmission of high electrical
powers using direct current with high voltages → Hochspannungs-
Gleichstromübertragung

high-voltage transmission line: a line for transmitting electrical power at a high

voltage level → Hochspannungsleitung

higher heating value: the amount of heat which can be produced from some fuel
when the water vapour in the exhaust gas is condensed → Brennwert

house with surplus energy balance: a building where on average more energy is
produced from renewable sources than is consumed → Plusenergiehaus

hot air heating: a heating system which works by supplying hot air
→ Warmluftheizung

hot water → Heißwasser, Warmwasser

hot water circulation system: a system of central hot water distribution

→ Warmwasser-Zirkulationssystem

hot water heat pump: a heat pump for providing hot water
→ Warmwasserwärmepumpe

hot water tank: a tank for storing hot water → Warmwasserspeicher

humidifier: a device which increases humidity of the air in a room

→ Luftbefeuchter

humidity: the moisture content of air e.g. in a room → Luftfeuchtigkeit

hybrid drive: a drive system of a vehicle which uses different energy carriers
→ Hybridantrieb

hybrid heat pump: a bivalent heat generator containing a heat pump, or a heat
pump which can work as compression or absorption heat pump, or a heat pump
which can utilize different heat sources → Hybridwärmepumpe

hydraulic balancing of a central heating system: a method for optimum

adjustment of pressure differences and water flows in a central heating system
→ hydraulischer Abgleich von Zentralheizungsanlagen
hydraulic fracturing: a method for increasing the permeability of underground
rock → Fracking

hydroelectric power: obtaining power (electricity) from the energy of water

→ Wasserkraft

hydroelectric power plant: a power plant using potential energy of water

→ Wasserkraftwerk

hydroelectric power plant with reservoir storage: a hydroelectric power plant

with a water reservoir → Wasser-Speicherkraftwerk

hydrogen: a combustible gas, which can serve as energy carrier → Wasserstoff

hydrogen economy: an energy economy which largely relies on hydrogen as

energy carrier → Wasserstoffwirtschaft

hydrogen storage: a storage system for hydrogen → Wasserstoffspeicher

I
ice storage: a latent heat storage device using water and water ice
→ Eisspeicher

ignitability: a measure for the tendency of a diesel fuel to self-ignite

→ Zündwilligkeit

illuminant: an equipment for generating light → Leuchtmittel

illuminating gas: a combustible gas, which is normally generated by gasification

of coal → Stadtgas

illumination: providing light for rooms or objects → Beleuchtung

immersion heater: a device which can heat water when being immersed in it
→ Tauchsieder

immissions: the influence of pollutants or other disturbing substances or

radiation → Emissionen und Immissionen

incandescent lamp: a simple lamp where the thermal emission of a hot filament
is used → Glühlampe
incandescent lamp phase-out: the phase-out of incandescent lamps for lighting
purposes → Glühlampenverbot

incremental cost: the cost for a small increase of production → Grenzkosten

inductive energy transmission: the transmission of electic energy with magnetic

fields by induction → induktive Energieübertragung

inflammation point: the minimum temperature where spontaneous

inflammation of a substance is possible → Zündtemperatur

infrared heating: heating systems which heat by emitting infrared radiation

→ Infrarotheizung

installed nameplate capacity: the nominal power of an electric power generation

facility → installierte Leistung

insulated render: a render which improves the thermal insulation of a building

→ Wärmedämmputz

insulation: a method for reducing heat losses → Wärmedämmung

insulation material: a material used for reducing heat losses

→ Wärmedämmmaterial

insulation of roofs: means for reducing heat losses at roofs

→ Wärmedämmung von Dächern

integrated energy: the coupling of different energy sectors for exploiting various
synergies → Sektorkopplung

interconnected grid: an electricity grid (or natural gas grid) which resulted from
the interconnection of several networks → Verbundnetz

internal consumption: energy which is consumed within a power station, for

example → Eigenverbrauch

interruptible load: a consumer of electrical energy which can be temporarily

switched off by the local power company

interseasonal energy storage: a facility for storing energy over several

months→ saisonaler Energiespeicher
inverter: a device for converting direct current to alternating current
→ Wechselrichter

island network → a small electric transmission network → Inselnetz

isotopes: nuclides with same proton number → Isotope

J
jet engine: an engine which provides propulsion by emitting a gas jet
→ Strahltriebwerk

jet fuel: a fuel based on mineral oil, which is mostly used in aviation → Kerosin

joule: the basic unit of energy → Joule

K
Kalina cycle: a method for operating steam turbines with low-temperature heat
→ Kalina-Kreisprozess

kilowatt hour: the amount of energy which is delivered for 1 kW power over one
hour → Kilowattstunde

kelvin: a unit for the temperature → Kelvin

kinetic energy: energy related to the velocity of a mass → Bewegungsenergie

knock resistance: the ability of a fuel to resist uncontrolled ignition in a

combustion motor

knocking in Otto engines: a consequence of uncontrolled burning in an engine

→ Klopfen beim Ottomotor

L
lambda sensor: a sensor for measuring the oxygen content of exhaust gases
→ Lambdasonde

landfill gas: combustible gas which is released from organic waste in landfills
→ Deponiegas

large power plant: a power station with a high power output of at least hundreds
of megawatts → Großkraftwerk
latent heat: heat which is absorbed by or extracted from a body without
changing its temperature → latente Wärme

latent heat storange: a storage device which stores latent heat

→ Latentwärmespeicher

laughing gas: a gas belonging to the nitrogen oxides → Lachgas

laws of thermodynamics: fundamental physical laws in thermodynamics

→ Hauptsätze der Thermodynamik

layer charge: the use of an inhomogeneous fuel-air mix in an engine

→ Schichtladung

lean-burn engine: an engine which works with a lean fuel-air mixture

→ Magermotor

light: a kind of electromagnetic radiation → Licht

light-emitting diode: a semiconductor device emitting light → Leuchtdiode

lighting: providing light for rooms or objects → Beleuchtung

liquefied natural gas: natural gas which has been converted to a fluid by strong
cooling → Flüssigerdgas

load: a device drawing energy (power) from a system, or the corresponding

power → Last

load following: the operation of a power plant with variable output power
according to the needs in the electricity network → Lastfolgebetrieb

load following rate: the speed with which the output power of a power station
can be changed → Leistungsänderungsgeschwindigkeit

load management: measures for adapting the consumption to the free

generation capacities in an electricity network → Lastmanagement

load profile: the temporal profile of the power consumed by some facility
→ Lastprofil

load throw-off: switching off electric consumers in case of shortages

→ Lastabwurf
local heat: heat for e.g. heating purposes, which is delivered in small pipeline
systems → Nahwärme

long-distance cooling: cooling, where a coolant is supplied via long pipelines

→ Fernkälte

long-distance heating: heating, where a heat-carrying fluid is supplied via long

pipelines → Fernwärme

low caloric gas: a gas mixture with low caloric value → Schwachgas

lower heating value: the amount of heat which can be produced from some fuel
when the water vapour in the exhaust gas is not condensed → Heizwert

low-temperature boiler: a boiler for heating purposes which can be operated at

low temperatures → Niedertemperaturheizkessel

low-temperature heating: a heating system operating with relatively low

temperatures → Niedertemperaturheizung

low voltage: voltages below 1 kV → Niederspannung

low voltage system: an electric network working with low voltage

→ Niederspannungsnetz

M
marginal cost: the cost for a small increase of production → Grenzkosten

marginal power plant: the power plant which determines the price at the
electricity market based on the merit order principle → Grenzkraftwerk

masonry heater: an oven operated in a room → Kachelofen

mean effective pressure: a measure for the specific torque of an engine

→ effektiver Mitteldruck

mean voltage: voltages between 10 kV and 60 kV → Mittelspannung

measurement methods for fuel consumption and exhaust gases

→ Messverfahren für Kraftstoffverbrauch und Abgaswerte

mechanical energy: energy for doing mechanical work → mechanische Energie

megawatt hour: the energy which is turned over with a power of one megawatt
within one hour → Megawattstunde

melting heat: heat required for melting a substance → Schmelzwärme und

Erstarrungswärme

methanation: generatinon of methane from other gases, e.g. hydrogen

→ Methanisierung

methane: a combustible gas, main component of natural gas and biogas

→ Methan

methane clathrate: a compound of methane and water → Methanhydrat

methane leakage: the loss of methane to the atmosphere, e.g. in biogas plants
and gas motors → Methanschlupf

methane pyrolysis: the splitting of methane into hydrogen and carbon

→ Methanpyrolyse

methanol: an alcohol which can serve as an energy carrier → Methanol

mid-load: the part of the load in an electricity network which fluctuates in a

predictable way → Mittellast

mineral oil: a liquid consisting mainly of carbon hydrates from fossil sources
→ Erdöl

minimum generation: the minimum possible power output of a facility or a pool

of power stations → Mindesterzeugung

mixed oxide fuel element: a nuclear fuel element containing plutonium

→ Mischoxidbrennelement

modulating burner: a burner with variable thermal power → modulierender

Brenner

mono-incineration: the incineration without adding additional fuel

→ Monoverbrennung

motor: a machine producing mechanical energy → Motor

N
near-surface geothermal energy: geothermal energy from moderate depths
→ oberflächennahe Geothermie

network charges: charges covering the cost of building, maintaining and

operating electricity or natural gas networks → Netznutzungsentgelt

neutral conductor: a conductor for electricity transmission with a potential near

ground potential → Neutralleiter

Newton: the basic unit for forces → Newton

night setback: the reduction of temperature in heated rooms over night

→ Nachtabsenkung

nighttime-produced electricity: electrical energy produced during the night

→ Nachtstrom

nominal power: a power consumption or generation value given by a

manufacaturer → Nennleistung

nuclear energy: energy which is obtained from nuclear reactions → Kernenergie

nuclear fission: a nuclear process where atomic nuclei are fractured

→ Kernspaltung

nuclear fuel: a material which can deliver energy by nuclear processes

→ Kernbrennstoff

nuclear fuel reprocessing: the separation of various substances in used nuclear

fuel in order to recycle them → Wiederaufarbeitung

nuclear fuel tax: a tax on nuclear fuels → Kernbrennstoffsteuer

nuclear fusion: a nuclear process where atomic nuclei are fusing → Kernfusion

nuclear power plant: a power plant based on a nuclear reactor

→ Kernkraftwerk

natural gas: a combustible gas of fossil origin → Erdgas

natural gas vehicle: a vehicle with a natural gas engine → Erdgasfahrzeug

naturally aspirated engine: an engine where the air required for the combustion
is not externally compressed → Saugmotor
nitrogen oxides: chemical compounds of nitrogen with oxygen → Stickoxide

nitrous oxide: a gas belonging to the nitrogen oxides → Lachgas

nominal voltage: a voltage value used for characterizing the type of a network or
device → Nennspannung

NOx storage catalytic converter: a catalytic converter for removing nitrogen

oxides from diesel exhaust gases → Speicherkatalysator

nuclear phaseout: abandoning nuclear power generation → Atomausstieg

nuclear power: energy from nuclear process → Kernenergie

nuclide: a kind of atomic nucleus → Nuklid

O
off-peak electricity: electrical energy produced at times with low load, e.g. during
the night → Nachtstrom

oil equivalent: a measure for the energy content of fuels → Öläquivalent

oil heating: a heating system operated with oil → Ölheizung

oil power station: a power plant operated with oil fuel (often heavy oil)
→ Ölkraftwerk

oil refinery: a technical facility for producing oil products from crude oil
→ Erdölraffinerie

oil sand: a sand containing hydrocarbons, which can be used for oil extraction
→ Ölsand

one-floor heating system: a heating system for only a single floor of a building
→ Etagenheizung

operating resource (in electrical technology): an object which is used for

generating, transporting, storing or applying electrical energy → Betriebsmittel

organic Rankine cycle: a method for operating steam turbines or motors with
heat on relatively low temperatur levels → Organic Rankine Cycle

osmotic power station: a power station which exploits concentration differences

of salt between fresh water and ocean water → Osmosekraftwerk
Otto engine: a combustion engine with homogeneous fuel-air mixture and
external ignition → Ottomotor

outdoor-air intake: an opening e.g. in a wall for letting in fresh air

→ Außenluftdurchlass

overhead heating: a heating system installed in the ceiling of a room

→ Deckenheizung

oxygen index: a measure for the tendency of a material to burn

→ Sauerstoffindex

oxygen sensor: a sensor for measuring the oxygen content of exhaust gases
→ Lambdasonde

ozone: a chemically aggressive gas → Ozon

P
panel heating: a heating system where large panels e.g. in walls are heated
→ Wandheizung, Flächenheizung

partial load operation: operation of a machine with reduced load

→ Teillastbetrieb

particulate filter: a filter for removing particulates from diesel exhaust gases
→ Rußpartikelfilter

particulate matter: dust consisting of very small particles → Feinstaub

passive house: a building which normally keeps warm without using a regular
heating system → Passivhaus

peak demand boiler: a boiler for covering peak demand → Spitzenlastkessel

peak load = peak demand: the maximum power load → Spitzenlast

pellet heating: a heating system using wood pellets → Pelletheizung

Peltier element: a thermoelectric device, which can cool and heat when supplied
with electrical power → Peltier-Element

PEN conductor: a conductor which is used as both neutral conductor and

grounding conductor → PEN-Leiter
perpetual motion machine: a machine which can move forever without energy
input → Perpetuum Mobile

petrol: a liquid fuel, which is mostly used for gasoline engines → Benzin

petroleum tax: a tax on mineral oil products → Mineralölsteuer

phase: a conductor carrying a substantial voltage against ground → Phase

phase-controlled modulation: a technique for modulating the power of electrical

devices → Phasenanschnittsteuerung

photovoltaic-thermal solar collector: a soloar collector producing electricity and

heat → photovoltaisch-thermischer Solarkollektor

photovoltaics: a technology for directly producing electrical energy from sunlight

→ Photovoltaik

pilot fuel engine: a dual-fuel self-igniting engine like a diesel engine, where the
ignition is achieved by injection of a special ignition oil → Zündstrahlmotor

pipe heater: an electric heater for a pipe → Rohrbegleitheizung

piston engine: an engine with one or more pistons as core elements

→ Hubkolbenmotor

plug-in solar panel: a small solar panel which directly connected to the local grid
with a normal plug → Solarmodul für die Steckdose

plug socket: a part for accepting an electrical plug (male connector)

→ Steckdose

plutonium: a radioactive element which is generated and used in nuclear power

plants → Plutonium

pneumatic motor: an engine which is driven by a compressed air

→ Gasexpansionsmotor

polyphase current: an alternating current which oscillates with time lags in

different cables → Drehstrom

porous burner: a kind of gas burner which operates without an open flame
→ Porenbrenner
potential energy: energy which depends on the location of a body in a field or
which is stored e.g. via mechanical deformation or compression → potenzielle
Energie

power: the energy produced, transmitted or consumed per unit time

→ Leistung

power and heat ratio: ratio of power and heat generation in a co-generation
power plant → Stromkennzahl

power company: a company supplying electrical

energy: Energieversorgungsunternehmen

power converter: a device which can convert a form of electrical energy into
another form → Stromrichter

power density: power per unit area → Leistungsdichte

power efficiency factor: the fraction of input energy which is obtained in the
desired form → Wirkungsgrad

power factor: the ratio of real power and apparent power → Leistungsfaktor

power failure: an interruption of the supply of electrical energy → Stromausfall

power frequency: the frequency of the voltage oscillation in a power network

→ Netzfrequenz

power generation: the generation of energy (power) in a particular form

→ Energieerzeugung

power loss: lost usable energy per unit time → Verlustleistung

power rating: a power consumption or generation value given by a

manufacaturer → Nennleistung

power station, power plant: a facility for generating electrical power

→ Kraftwerk

power supply: a device for delivering electrical power at the required voltage
level → Netzteil

power to ammonia: the production of ammonia with electric energy → Power to

Ammonia
power to gas: the use of electricity for producing combustible gases, and its
application for energy storage → Power to Gas

power to heat: the use of electrical excess energy for heat generation → Power
to Heat

power to liquid: the generation of liquid substances with electrical energy

→ Power to Liquid

power to gas: the generation of gas, liquids, chemical or heat from electrical
energyy → Power to X

pressure: force per unit area → Druck

pressurized reactor: a nuclear light water reactor operated under high pressure
→ Kernreaktor

primary energy: energy content of natural sources → Primärenergie

primary energy factor: a factor for weighting different energy sources

→ Primärenergiefaktor

primary energy supplier: the energy supplier which has most customers at a
certain place → Grundversorger

process gas: gas used for some process e.g. in an engine → Arbeitsgas

process heat: heat used in a process → Prozesswärme

propane: a carbon hydrate gas → Propan

propellant: a substance used for operating a turbine or a rocket engine

→ Treibstoff

protective conductor: a conductor which is used for safety grounding of

electrical eqipment → Schutzleiter

protective earth neutral (PEN conductor): a conductor which is used as both

neutral conductor and grounding conductor → PEN-Leiter

pump: a machine for moving liquids → Pumpe

pumped storage hydro power station: a hydroelectric power station where the
water reservoir can be replenished by pumping, using excess energy at low-load
times → Pumpspeicherkraftwerk

R
radiant heater: a heater device which mostly works by emitting thermal
radiation → Heizstrahler

radiation: highly energetic particles or light quanta → Strahlung

radiation efficiency: the fraction of heating power which is delivered in the form
of infrared radiation → Strahlungswirkungsgrad

radioactive waste: waste materials containing radioactive substances

→ radioaktiver Abfall

radioactivity: the phenomenon that certain atomic nuclei decay while emitting
radiation → Radioaktivität

radioisotope thermoelectric generator: a device generating electrical energy

from heat, which is generated in a highly radioactive material
→ Radionuklidbatterie

radionuclide: a radiative nuclide → Radionuklid

range extender: a device for expanding the range of an electric vehicle

→ Reichweitenverlängerer

rate of utilization: the fraction of energy which can be used → Nutzungsgrad

rated voltage: a maximum voltage allowed during long-term operation of a

device → Bemessungsspannung

rated power: a power consumption or generation value given by a

manufacaturer → Nennleistung

raw emissions: emissions in exhaust gases before an exhaust gas treatment

→ Rohemissionen

reactance coil: an inductor coil, used in certain electrical circuits → Drosselspule

reactive current: an alternating current which does not transport real power
→ Blindstrom

reactive energy: temporally integrated reactive power → Blindarbeit

reactive power: power which oscillates back and forth in a power line
→ Blindleistung

reactive power compensation: the compensation of reactive power, e.g. using

capacitors → Blindleistungskompensation

reactor safety: the safety of the operation of nuclear reactors

→ Reaktorsicherheit

real power: the power transmitted by an alternating current, averaged over one
oscillation period → Wirkleistung

rebound effect: the partial loss of the effect of energy-saving activities

→ Rebound-Effekt

rechargeable battery: a battery storing energy which can be replenished by

charging → Akkumulator

recharger: a device for recharging accumulators → Ladegerät

reciprocating piston engine: an engine with one or more pistons as core

elements → Hubkolbenmotor

rectifier: a device which can convert alternating current to direct current

→ Gleichrichter

recuperation: the utilization of otherwise unused energy → Rekuperation

redispatch: a modification of the planned use of power station in order to avoid

overloads → Redispatch

redox flow battery: an electrochemical energy storage device similar to a fuel cell
→ Redox-Flow-Batterie

rejected heat: heat which can not be used → Abwärme

refrigerating capacity: the amount of heat per unit time which can be removed
by a cooling device → Kälteleistung
refrigerating machine: a machine for cooling → Kältemaschine

refrigerator: a device for cooling food or other things → Kühlschrank

regenerative burner: a burner with recuperation of heat from exhaust gas based
on a regenerator → regenerativer Brenner

regenerator: a heat storage devices used as a heat exchanger in discontinuous

operation → Regenerator

renewable energy: energy from renewable sources → erneuerbare Energie

renewable energy act: a law which regulates the promotion of renewable energy
sources → Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz

renewable natural gas: processed biogas according to natural gas quality

standards → Biomethan

renewal of a heating system → Heizungserneuerung

repowering: the substitution of old power plants by newer ones, particularly in

the domain of wind power → Repowering

reprocessing of nuclear fuel: the separation of various substances in used

nuclear fuel in order to recycle them → Wiederaufarbeitung

reservoir power station: a power station having a significant energy storage

→ Speicherkraftwerk

residual load: the difference between required power and power from non
controllable power stations → Residuallast

rich mixture at full load: the use of an excess of fuel at full load of an engine
→ Volllastanreicherung

rich oil = heavy oil: a very viscous fuel from mineral oil → Schweröl

ripple control: remote control of electricity consuming devices and electricity

meters → Rundsteuertechnik

river power plant: a hydroelectric power plant using water of a river

→ Laufwasserkraftwerk
roling drag: a resistance force occuring e.g. when car wheels roll on the road
→ Rollwiderstand

room air conditioner: an air conditioning device for a single room

→ Raumklimagerät, Kompakt-Raumklimagerät

rotary current: an alternating current which oscillates with time lags in different
cables → Drehstrom

rotary transformer: a device which can convert electrical energy from one form
to another → Umformer

running-water power station: a hydroelectric power plant using water of a river

→ Laufwasserkraftwerk

S
sector coupling: the coupling of different energy sectors for exploiting various
synergies → Sektorkopplung

secundary energy: energy in artificially made or heavily processed energy

carriers → Sekundärenergie

secured generation capacity: the capacity of power stations which is always

surely available → gesicherte Kraftwerksleistung

security of energy supply: the security of having sufficient quantities of energy

→ Versorgungssicherheit

selective catalytic reduction: a method for removing nitrogen oxides from

exhaust gases → SCR-Katalysator

sewer gas: a combustible gas, which is obtained in digestion towers for waste
water treatment → Klärgas

shale gas: natural gas contained in shales, which can be extracted only with
unconventional methods → Schiefergas

smart grid: an distribution system for electrical energy with built-in “intelligence”
(communication) → intelligentes Stromnetz

smoke stack: a high-temperature resistant facility for guiding exhaust gases

→ Schornstein
solar air collector: a solar collector where air is used to transport the generated
heat → Luftkollektor

solar cell: an optoelectronic (photovoltaic) device which directly converts solar

radiation energy to electrical energy → Solarzelle

solar central heating support: a solar system supporting a conventional heating

system → solare Heizungsunterstützung

solar collector: a device for generating hot water with solar radiation
→ Sonnenkollektor

solar energy: energy from solar radiation → Solarenergie

solar energy storage: a hot water tank for storing heat from thermal solar
panels, or a battery system for storing electricity from photovoltaics
→ Solarspeicher, Solarstromspeicher

solar gains: gains of energy of a building due to solar radiation → solare

Gewinne

solar heat: heat from solar energy → Solarthermie

solar/heat pump system: a system for heat generation which combines solar
collectors and a heat pump → Solar-Wärmepumpen-System

solar heating system: a heating system using solar energy

→ Solarheizung, Solaranlage

solar hot water generation: heating of water using solar energy → solare
Warmwasserbereitung

solar inverter: an inverter which is specifically made for photovoltaics

→ Solarwechselrichter

solar module: a module containing solar cells (photovoltaics) → Solarmodul

solar panel: a device for generating hot water with solar radiation
→ Sonnenkollektor

solar power plant: a power plant utilizing solar energy

→ Solarkraftwerk, solarthermisches Kraftwerk

solid fuel: a fuel in solid form → Festbrennstoff

solidification heat: heat which is released when a liquid is solidified
→ Schmelzwärme und Erstarrungswärme

soot: a black power-like material consisting mainly of carbon → Ruß

speed limit: a limitation of the allowed driving speed → Tempolimit

split air conditioner: an air conditioning device consisting of an indoor unit and
an outdoor unit → Split-Klimagerät

split heat pump: a heat pump consisting of an indoor unit and an outdoor unit
→ Split-Wärmepumpe

standby loss: an energy loss occurring during stand-by of a device → Standby-

Verbrauch, Bereitschaftsverluste

star connection: a way of connecting equipment to a three-phase current system

→ Sternschaltung

start-stop system: automatic switching off of the engine of a car → Start-Stopp-

Automatik

starter-generator unit: a unit in a vehicle which acts as the starter motor and the
generator → Startergenerator

starting current: the initial current flow when a device is turned on

→ Einschaltstrom

steam engine: a heat engine working with water vapour → Dampfmaschine

steam reforming: the generation of hydrogen from a carbon-containing fuel and

water vapour in a chemical process → Dampfreformierung

steam turbine: a turbine which is driven by steam → Dampfturbine

Stirling engine: a heat engine using a working gas in an enclosed room

→ Stirlingmotor

storage for electrical energy → Speicher für elektrische Energie

storage power station: a power station having a significant energy storage

→ Speicherkraftwerk
stratified heat storage: heat storage in a water tank where one exploits the
natural stratification → Schichtladespeicher

stratified charge: the use of an inhomogeneous fuel-air mix in an engine

→ Schichtladung

steam generator: a device or facility for generating steam

→ Dampfkessel, Dampferzeuger

stoichiometric combustion: a combustion where the supplied amount of oxygen

ist just sufficient for complete combustion → stöchiometrische Verbrennung

substation: an installation for transferring power from a medium voltage to a

low voltage network → Transformatorenstation

substitution → Substitution

sufficiency → Suffizienz

sulfur dioxide: a poisonous gas, which is often contained in exhaust gases

→ Schwefeldioxid

sun protection: facilities and measures for protection against excessive solar
radiation and its heating effects → Sonnenschutz

supergrid: a particularly powerful electricity grid for long-distance transport

→ Supergrid

surrogate fuel: a fuel from wastes which can replace other fuels
→ Ersatzbrennstoff

sustainability: the principle that economic activities should be formed such that
they do not destroy their ecological basis → Nachhaltigkeit

switching power supply: a power supply where fast switching elements play a
central role → Schaltnetzteil

synthetic fuel: a fuel produced via chemical processing → Synthesekraftstoff

synthetic natural gas: a gas similar to natural gas which is artificially produced
→ synthetisches Erdgas

synthesis gas: a gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide which can be
used for chemical synthesis processes → Synthesegas
system operator: the operator of an electricity or gas network → Netzbetreiber

T
temperature: a measure for the ability to give away heat → Temperatur

temperature spread: a temperature difference, often in the context with a heat

transport system → Temperaturspreizung

theorems of thermodynamics: fundamental physical laws in thermodynamics

→ Hauptsätze der Thermodynamik

thermal bridge: a structure e.g. in a wall which causes increased heat losses
→ Wärmebrücke

thermal capacity: a measure for the capability of an object to store heat

→ Wärmekapazität

thermal component activation: the additional utilization of components of a

building for heating or cooling → thermische Bauteilaktivierung

thermal conduction: the transport of heat in a medium → Wärmeleitung

thermal conductivity: the ability of a material to conduct heat

→ Wärmeleitfähigkeit

thermal engine: a machine which can partly convert heat to power

→ Wärmekraftmaschine

thermal heat: heat used for heating a building → Heizwärme

thermal imaging: a method for spatially resolved temperature measurements

→ Thermografie

thermal insulation: a method for reducing heat losses → Wärmedämmung

thermal insulation composite system: a system used for thermal insulation

outside building walls → Wärmedämmverbundsystem

thermal insulation material: a material used for reducing heat losses

→ Wärmedämmmaterial

thermal power consumption: the consumption of heat for heating purposes

→ Heizwärmebedarf
thermal power plant: a power plant which generates electrical power from heat
→ Wärmekraftwerk

thermal radiation: electromagnetic radiation emitted by warm bodies

→ Wärmestrahlung

thermal resistance: a measure for the resistance against heat flows

→ Wärmewiderstand

thermal storage: storage of heat → Wärmespeicher

thermodynamically optimized heating: a concept for heating buildings where the

energy consumption is minimized using thermodynamic principles
→ thermodynamisch optimiertes Heizen

thermodynamics: an area of classical physics dealing with heat and mechanical

energy → Thermodynamik

thermoelectric generator: a device generating electricity directly from heat,

exploiting the Seebeck effect → thermoelektrischer Generator

thermography: a method for spatially resolved temperature measurements

→ Thermografie

thermosiphon: a solar power installation without pump, using natural circulation

→ Thermosiphonanlage

thermostat: a device for automatic temperature control → Thermostat

three-phase current: an alternating current which oscillates with time lags in

different cables → Drehstrom

three-way catalytic converter: a calalyser which can remove three different kinds
of pollutants from exhaust gases → Drei-Wege-Katalysator

three-wire system: an electric transmission system using three active conductors

→ Dreileiter- und Vierleiternetz

throttling loss: energy losses which occur when a flow of a liquid or gas is
throttled → Drosselverluste

thrust: the force generated by a rocket or jet engine → Schub

tight gas: natural gas in reservoirs with low permeability → Tight Gas
TN system: a kind of low voltage distribution system → TN-System

torque: force times length of lever arm → Drehmoment

towel warmer: a device for drying and warming towels → Handtuchtrockner

traction power: power used for electric railways → Bahnstrom

transformer: an electrical device which can transform alternating currents to

different voltage levels → Transformator

transmission grid: a system of transmission lines for long-distance power

transport → Übertragungsnetz

transmission network operator: a company operating an electricity or natural

gas transmission grid → Übertragungsnetzbetreiber

transmutation: the conversion of chemical elements into other elements, e.g. in

order to reduce the hazards from radioactive nuclear waste → Transmutation

transparent insulation: an insulation which can transmit light → transparente

Wärmedämmung

tumble dryer: a device which can dry clothes → Wäschetrockner

turbo generator: the combination of a turbine with an electric generator

→ Turbogenerator

turbocharging: a method for increasing the power or efficiency of combustion

engines → Turboaufladung

two-stroke engine: an internal combustion engine with two strokes per power
cycle → Zweitaktmotor

U
unbalanced load: an asymmetric (uneven) load in a polyphase current system
→ Schieflast

unburnt hydrocarbons: hydrocarbons in exhaust gases → unverbrannte

Kohlenwasserstoffe

underground cable: a cable which is placed underground → Erdkabel

upper heating value: the amount of heat which can be produced from some fuel
when the water vapour in the exhaust gas is condensed → Brennwert

uranium: a chemical element which is mainly used for generating nuclear power
→ Uran

uranium enrichment: the production of uranium with an increased content of

fissionable uranium 235 → Urananreicherung

useful area in a building: the floor space in a building which can be used
→ Gebäudenutzfläche und Energiebezugsfläche

useful energy: energy which can be used → Nutzenergie

useful power: the amount of power which can be used → Nutzleistung

utilisation: the fraction of energy which can be used → Nutzungsgrad

V
vacuum insulation panel: an insulating panel based on the principle of vacuum
insulation → Vakuumdämmplatte

valves in a reciprocating piston engine: devices for controlling the supply and
removal of gases in a piston engine → Ventile beim Hubkolbenmotor

vapour barrier: a barrier for reducing the diffusion of water vapour

→ Dampfsperre

ventilation: means for providing fresh air to rooms → Belüftung von Gebäuden

ventilation loss: energy losses arising from ventilation of a building

→ Lüftungsverluste

ventilation system: a system used for ventilation of a building or room

→ Lüftungsanlage

ventilator: a device for moving air against a low pressure → Ventilator

vertical closed loop: a vertical pair of pipes in the ground, used in conjunction
with a heat pump to extract heat from the ground → Erdwärmesonde

vertical network load: the sum of all power flows from the transmission grid to
the lower grid levels or to directly connected consumers → vertikale Netzlast
virtual power plant: a combination of decentralized power plants which are
centrally controlled → virtuelles Kraftwerk

volt: unit of the electrical voltage → Volt

voltage: the electric energy per unit charge → elektrische Spannung

voltage drop: a voltage caused by a current in some impedance

→ Spannungsabfall

voltage level: a certain range of effective voltage of an electric network

→ Spannungsebene

voltampere: unit of the apparent power → Voltampere

volumetric efficiency: the ratio of incorporated gas mass to the theoretically

possible mass → Liefergrad

W
warm air heating: a heating system which works by supplying warm air
→ Warmluftheizung

washing machine: a machine which can wash clothes → Waschmaschine

waste heat: heat which can not be used → Abwärme

water boiler: a small device for boiling water → Wasserkocher

water injection: the injection of water into engines → Wassereinspritzung

water-to-water heat pump: a heat pump which draws heat from water (often
ground water) → Wasser/Wasser-Wärmepumpe

water vapour: water in the gaseous state → Wasserdampf

watt: the unit of power → Watt

watt hour: a unit of energy → Wattstunde

weight-to-power ratio: the ratio of weight and power of an engine

→ Leistungsgewicht

wind energy converter: a facility for gaining power from wind energy
→ Windenergieanlage
wind park: a group of wind energy converters → Windpark

wind power: energy from wind → Windenergie

window: a transparent opening of a building → Fenster

window ventilation: ventilation via windows → Fensterlüftung

wood → Holz

wood pellets: small pellets made from wood pieces, mostly used for heating
purposes → Holzpellets

woodchips: small chips made by cutting wood → Holzhackschnitzel

work: mechanical or electrical energy delivered in a process → Arbeit

working gas: usable gas in a gas storage facility → Arbeitsgas

Y
Y connection: a way of connecting equipment to a three-phase current system
→ Sternschaltung

Acronyms
AC = alternating current → Wechselstrom

AGR = advanced gas reactor → fortgeschrittener gasgekühlter Reaktor

→ Kernreaktor

BEV = battery-electric vehicle → batteriebetriebenes Elektroauto

BtL = biomass to liquid → Biokraftstoff

BWR = boiling water reactor → Siedewasserreaktor → Kernreaktor

CAES = Compressed Air Energy Storage → Druckluftspeicherkraftwerk

CCGT = combined cycle gas turbine → Gas-und-Dampf-Kombikraftwerk

CCS = carbon dioxide capture and storage → CO2-Abscheidung und -
Speicherung

CDM = clean development mechanism → Maßnahme im Rahmen

des Emissionshandels

CH4 = methane → Methan

CHP = combined heat and power → Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung

CNG = compressed natural gas → komprimiertes Erdgas

CO = carbon monoxide → Kohlenmonoxid

CO2 = carbon dioxide → Kohlendioxid

CO2-eq = carbon dioxide equivalent→ Treibhauseffekt

COGEN = co-generation → Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung

COP = coefficient of performance → Leistungszahl einer Wärmepumpe

CtL = coal to liquids → Kohleverflüssigung

DC = direct current → Gleichstrom

DME = dimethyl ether → ein Biokraftstoff

DSM = demand side management → Lastmanagement

EOR = enhanced oil recovery → ergiebigere Förderung von Erdöl

EPR = European pressurized reactor → europäischer Druckwasserreaktor

→ Kernreaktor

EV = electric vehicle → Elektroauto

FC = fuel cell → Brennstoffzelle

FCV = fuel cell vehicle → Brennstoffzellenfahrzeug

FIT = feed-in tariff → Einspeisevergütung

F-T = Fischer-Tropsch → Verfahren für die Kohleverflüssigung

FTL = Fischer-Tropsch liquids → Produkte der Kohleverflüssigung

GJ = gigajoule → Gigajoule
GtL = gas to liquids → Erdgasverflüssigung

GW = gigawatt → Gigawatt

GWh = gigawatt hour → Gigawattstunde

GWP = global warming potential → Treibhauseffekt-Potenzial

H2 = hydrogen → Wasserstoff

HDR = hot dry rock → Verfahren für die Nutzung tiefer Geothermie

HEU = highly enriched uranium → hoch angereichertes Uran

HEV = hybrid-electric vehicle → Fahrzeug mit Hybridantrieb

HFC = hydrogen fuel cell = Brennstoffzelle für Wasserstoff

HFO = heavy fuel oil → Schweröl

HHV = higher heating value → Brennwert

HLW = high-level waste → hochradioaktiver Abfall

HVDC = high voltage direct current → Hochspannungs-

Gleichstromübertragung

HWR = heavy-water reactor → Schwerwasserreaktor → Kernreaktor

ICE = internal combustion engine → Verbrennungsmotor mit innerer

Verbrennung

ILUC = indirect land-use change → indirekte Landnutzungsänderung

→ Biomasse

IPCC = Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

→ Klimagefahren, Klimaschutz

LCA = life cycle assessment → Ermittlung u. a. von grauer Energie

LED = light-emitting diode → Leuchtdiode

LHV = lower heating value → Heizwert

LNG = liquefied natural gas → verflüssigtes Erdgas = Flüssigerdgas

LPG = liquefied petroleum gases → Flüssiggas

kJ = kilojoule → Kilojoule

kW = kilowatt → Kilowatt

kWh = kilowatt hour → Kilowattstunde

LWR = light water reactor → Leichtwasserreaktor → Kernreaktor

MHP = micro-hydro plants → sehr kleine Wasserkraftanlagen

MDO = marine diesel oil → Schweröl, Dieselkraftstoff

MJ = megajoule → Megajoule

MOX = mixed oxide → Mischoxidbrennelemente

MW = megawatt → Megawatt

MWh = megawatt hour → Megawattstunde

N2O = nitruos oxide → Distickstoffoxid = Lachgas → Stickoxide

NGL = natural gas liquids → Gaskondensate

NO = nitric oxide = nitrogen monoxide → Stickstoffmonoxid → Stickoxide

NO2 = nitrogen dioxide → Stickstoffdioxid → Stickoxide

NPP = nuclear power plant → Kernkraftwerk

OLED = organic light-emitting diode → organische Leuchtdiode

OPEC = Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries

→ Organisation Erdöl-exportierender Staaten

PCM = phase change material → ein Material für Latentwärmespeicher

PHEV = plug-in hybrid electric vehicle → Fahrzeug mit Hybridantrieb für

Nachladung am Stromnetz

PNG = piped natural gas → in Pipelines transportiertes Erdgas

PV = photovoltaics → Photovoltaik

PWR = pressurized water reactor → Druckwasserreaktor → Kernreaktor

RAR = reasonably assured resources → Ressourcen z. B. von Erdöl

RECS = Renewable Energy Certificate System → Zertifikatesystem für Ökostrom

RES = renewable energy sources → Quellen erneuerbarer Energie

SCR = selective catalytic reduction → SCR-Katalysator

SHP = small hydropower → Wasserkraft aus kleinen Anlagen

SNG = synthetic natural gas → synthetisches Erdgas

SOFC = solid oxide fuel cell → Festoxid-Brennstoffzelle

STE = solar thermal electricity → elektrische Energie aus solarthermischen

Kraftwerken

TJ = terajoule → Terajoule

TW = terawatt → Terawatt

TWh = terawatt hour → Terawattstunde

U = uranium → Uran

U3O8 = uranium oxide → Uranoxid

V = Volt → Volt

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