Solar Industry Glossary
Clear explanations of 40+ key terms every solar buyer and professional needs to know β technology, standards, business, regulatory.
Technology(8)
N-type solar cell technology with a tunneling oxide passivation layer that achieves 25-26% efficiency.
Mainstream solar cell technology from 2019-2024 using a passivation layer on the rear cell surface; 22-23% efficiency.
Premium N-type solar cell tech combining crystalline and amorphous silicon for 25-26%+ efficiency.
Premium solar cell with all electrical contacts on the back, eliminating front-side shading for maximum efficiency.
LONGi's proprietary N-type back-contact technology for premium residential; 22-23% module efficiency.
Solar modules that generate power from both front and rear surfaces; 7-15% higher yield in ground-mount projects.
Solar cells made from a single silicon crystal, offering higher efficiency (22%+) than polycrystalline.
Legacy solar cell made from multiple silicon crystals; largely obsolete in 2026 due to lower efficiency (~17-18%).
Standards & Certifications(9)
International standard for solar module design qualification and type approval testing.
International safety standard for solar modules covering electrical insulation, fire safety, and mechanical strength.
US safety standard for solar modules; harmonized with IEC 61730.
Mandatory conformity marking for solar modules sold in the European Economic Area.
German independent testing organization offering the most respected solar module certification globally.
Mandatory Brazilian certification for solar equipment, issued by the Instituto Nacional de Metrologia.
India's mandatory certification (BIS) and approved manufacturer list (ALMM) for government solar projects.
Australia's Clean Energy Council list of approved solar modules required for the STC rebate program.
UK certification required for residential solar installations to qualify for government incentives like the Smart Export Guarantee.
Business & Trade(9)
Incoterm where the seller delivers goods on board the vessel at the port of origin; buyer pays freight and insurance.
Incoterm where the seller pays cost, insurance and freight to the destination port; buyer handles customs clearance.
Incoterm where the seller handles all costs including duty, VAT, and final delivery; buyer does nothing.
Minimum quantity required to place an order; typically one 40HQ container (~430-460 kW) for Tier-1 factories.
OEM = factory makes your branded product; ODM = factory designs and builds based on your spec.
Bank-issued payment guarantee commonly used in international trade to protect both buyer and seller.
Direct bank wire transfer; most common payment method for solar module imports.
Shipping document that serves as proof of cargo loading and entitles the holder to claim goods at destination.
International commercial terms standardized by ICC defining responsibilities of buyer and seller in trade.
Regulatory(5)
The EU's carbon price on imported goods' embedded emissions; affects solar imports via aluminum frames and steel mounting.
US law creating a rebuttable presumption that goods from Xinjiang are made with forced labor and banned from import.
2022 US law providing tax credits and subsidies for solar deployment; major driver of US solar growth.
EU designation for green hydrogen that meets strict additionality, geographic, and temporal correlation rules.
Anti-dumping and countervailing duties imposed on unfair trade practices; major cost for Chinese solar exports.
Project Economics(4)
Total lifetime cost of building and operating a solar plant divided by total lifetime energy generated.
Long-term contract to sell generated electricity at a fixed price; primary financing mechanism for utility solar.
Utility policy crediting solar owners for excess electricity fed back to the grid at the retail rate.
Time required for a solar system to save enough money to offset its initial cost.
Components(4)
Device converting DC electricity from solar panels into AC for grid/home use.
System of batteries (typically LFP or NMC) storing solar electricity for use when the sun isn't shining.
Mounting system that rotates panels to follow the sun, increasing yield 15-25% over fixed-tilt.
All non-module components of a solar system: inverters, wiring, mounting, combiner boxes, etc.
Materials(3)
High-purity silicon (99.9999%+) used to grow wafers for solar cells; key raw material of the solar supply chain.
Thin silicon slice (~150-170 ΞΌm thick) cut from a silicon ingot; the substrate on which solar cells are built.
Ethylene-vinyl acetate plastic film that laminates solar cells between glass and backsheet.