| biomass |
Plant-derived organic matter |
| cap and trade scheme |
A scheme to regulate emissions where a cap is set on the amount of emissions permitted, and the rights to emit are distributed to companies who are then able to buy and sell these rights. |
| carbon capture |
A process for storing CO2 emitted from the burning of fossil fuels instead of releasing it into the atmosphere |
| carbon intensity |
The amount of CO2 emitted per unit of electricity produced |
| CCGT |
Combined cycle gas turbine |
| CHP |
Combined heat and power, a way of generating heat and power from the waste heat from electricity generation |
| CO2 |
Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas generated from the burning of fossil fuels |
| CSR |
Corporate Social Responsibility |
| distributed generation |
The process by which consumers generating their own heat and power can sell it back to the network |
| DTI |
Department for Trade and Industry |
| e.Locator |
E.ON UK's 'low carbon advanced technology options research' programme |
| energywatch |
The independent gas and electricity watchdog in the UK |
| ERP |
Energy Research Partnership, a multi-stakeholder forum set up to support energy research in the UK. |
| EU ETS |
European Union Emissions Trading Scheme |
| fossil fuels |
Non-renewable energy sources (eg coal and gas) formed from the remains of living organisms. |
| greenhouse gases |
Gases that trap the heat of the sun in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and methane. |
| GreenPlan |
E.ON UK's renewable energy tariff for domestic customers |
| GRI |
Global Reporting Initiative, a voluntary framework for reporting on a company's social, environmental and economic impacts. |
| GW |
Gigawatt, or one thousand million watts |
| GWh |
Gigawatt hours |
| IGCC |
Integrated gasification combined cycle, a process for generating electricity using synthetic gas as a source of clean fuel. |
| IPCC |
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change |
| kt |
Kilotonnes, or one thousand tonnes |
| kWh |
Kilowatt hour, the unit on which the price of electricity is based. |
| Kyoto agreement |
An international agreement on global warming. |
| LCPD |
The EU's Large Combustion Plant Directive that aims to improve air quality. All combustion plant built after 1987 must comply with the emission limits in LCPD or close down. |
| Micro-generation |
The generation of zero- or low-carbon heat and power by individuals, small businesses and communities for their own needs. |
| MW |
Megawatt, or one million watts |
| Ofgem |
The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, the UK regulator of the gas and electricity industries. |
| oxyfuel |
The process of burning coal in pure oxygen and recycled flue gas. |
| renewable energy |
Energy derived from sources that cannot be depleted such as wind, tides or the sun. |
| renewables obligation |
A Government requirement for electricity supply companies to source increasing percentages of the electricity they sell from renewable sources. |
| RPZ |
Registered Power Zone, an Ofgem-regulated scheme to encourage electricity distribution companies to develop new ways of connecting and operating renewable generation. |
| Smart metering |
Modern system for measuring electricity use that provides customers with clearer information about the energy they are using. |
| TWh |
Terawatt hour, the production or consumption of a million million watts for one hour. |
