Essential Energy and Electricity Infrastructure Terms

Core Energy and Power Concepts

Transform (verb): To change or alter the appearance or form of something.

Source: Origin.

Resource: A supply or source of material that can be used.

Heat: A form of energy generated by being hot.

Supply: The total amount of a specific good or service that is available to consumers.

Release (verb): To emit, give off, or discharge.

Absorb (verb): To take in or consume.

Electrical Grid and Distribution

Power station: Power stations generate electric current in very large quantities to supply the national grid.

National grid: A system of special wires that take electricity from power stations (places where electricity is made) to all parts of a country.

Substation: Substations are an important part of the national grid. They contain transformers which increase or decrease the voltage of an electric current.

Transformer: A transformer is a device that can change the voltage associated with an electric current. One type of transformer, the "step-down transformer," decreases the voltage, and the other type, the "step-up transformer," increases the voltage.

Measurement and Change

Increase (verb): To (make something) become larger in amount or size.

Decrease (verb): To make or become less in amount or size.

Infrastructure and Physical Components

Steam: A gas or vapour (vapor) that rises from hot or boiling water or other liquid.

Wire: Metal drawn out into a long strand, as thick as string or as thin as thread.

Overhead lines: Overhead lines are thick electric cables that carry electricity from where it is generated to where it is used.

Pylons: Pylons are tall metal towers that carry very high-voltage power lines.

Wooden poles: A long piece of wood, set upright into the ground to serve as a support.

Buried (verb): To put in the ground and cover with earth.

Underground: Below the surface of the earth.

Dock (verb): To pull up to a platform at a harbour or port (for ships).

Trench:

Industrial and Environmental Terms

Liquefaction plant: An industrial plant where gas is converted into liquid.

Gaseous: Having the qualities of a gas.

Industrialised: When industry is highly developed and the most important economic activity.

Solve (verb): To find a solution to something.

Trap (verb): To confine something so that it cannot escape.

Unlimited: Having no limits.

Current: A steady movement of water in seas and rivers.

Dam: A barrier constructed to contain water in a reservoir or to keep out the sea.