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TEEIC - Energy affairs Category: Earth and Environment > Energy terms Date & country: 28/02/2017, UK Words: 518

SPCC
SPCCP Regulations (40 CFR Part 112).

Solid waste
All unwanted, abandoned, or discarded solid or semisolid material whether or not subject to decomposition, originating from any source.

SO2
Sulfur dioxide.

Socioeconomics
The social and economic conditions in the study area.

SODAR
Sonic Detection and Ranging.

Soil horizon
A layer of soil that is nearly parallel to the land surface and is different from layers above and below.

Solar tubes
Light tubes or light pipes that are used for transporting or distributing natural or artificial light. In their application to daylighting, they are also often called sun pipes, solar pipes, solar light pipes, or daylight pipes.

Slope
The degree of inclination to the horizontal. (Usually expressed as a ratio, such as 1:25, indicating one unit rise in 25 units of horizontal distance; or in a decimal fraction (0.04).)

Sludge
A dense, slushy, liquid-to-semifluid product that accumulates as an end result of an industrial or technological process designed to purify a substance.

Sluice gate
A mechanism for controlling the amount of water that passes through a manmade channel or dam.

Slurry
A liquid that has a very high level of suspended solids (usually from 2 to 30^% by weight).

slash
(burning) 1) Any tree-tops, limbs, bark, abandoned forest products, windfalls, or other debris left on the land after timber or other forest products have been cut. 2) Of or being a form of agriculture in which an area of forest is cleared by cutting and burning and is then planted, usually for several seasons, before being left to return to forest.

Sink
In general, any process, activity, or mechanism that removes a greenhouse gas or a precursor of a greenhouse gas or aerosol from the atmosphere.

Site reclamation
Process of restoring surface environment to acceptable preexisting conditions. Reclamation (also referred to as restoration) includes surface contouring, equipment removal, pipeline plugging, revegetation, etc.

Slash
Unused and generally unmarketable accumulation of woody debris (such as that left on the land after timber or other forest products have been harvested), tree tops, limbs, bark, or windfalls.

Shadow flicker
The visual, strobe-like effect that occurs when the rotating blades of wind turbines cast shadows.

Shield wires
Steel or aluminum-clad wires with a diameter of about 0.5 inch that are attached directly to the support tower (no insulation), providing a path for lightning to go directly to and through the towers to the ground straps at the base of the towers. They provide lightning protection for the conductors, other energized equipment, and even customer equipment.

Sensitive species
A plant or animal species listed by the state or federal government as threatened, endangered, or as a species of special concern. The list of sensitive species varies from state to state, and the same species can be considered sensitive in one state but not in another.

Seismicity
Refers to the geographic and historical distribution of earthquakes.

Secondary containment
An engineered system designed to contain accidental releases from containers storing liquids. Secondary containment devices typically are constructed of materials that are compatible with the materials being stored and are designed to contain at least the entire volume of stored material.

Sediment
Materials that sink to the bottom of a body of water, or materials that are deposited by wind, water, or glaciers.

Sedimentary rock
Rock formed at or near the earth’s surface from the consolidation of loose sediment that has accumulated in layers through deposition by water, wind, or ice, or deposited by organisms. Examples are sandstone and limestone.

SDWA
Safe Drinking Water Act.

Scrubber
An air pollution control device that uses a liquid or solid to remove pollutants from a gas stream by adsorption or chemical reaction.

Salinity
A measure of the amount of salt and other mineral substances dissolved in water.

Scarifying
Loosening topsoil or breaking up the forest floor to improve conditions for seed germination or tree planting. Also refers to nicking or abrading the hard seed coat of some species to aid germination.

SCADA
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition .

Scouring
Erosion of ocean seabed or shoreline, or a bed or bank of a river caused by tidal or river flow.

Sacred landscapes
Natural places recognized by a cultural group as having spiritual or religious significance.

Saccharification
A process in which liquefied starch is converted to dextrose (sugar).

run-of-the-river
(facility) A low-head plant using the flow of a stream as it occurs, and having little or no reservoir capacity for storage.

River in-stream energy systems
A series of devices placed directly in the flowing water of rivers that convert the movement of water into electrical energy.

Rig
A collective term to describe the equipment needed when drilling a well.

Right-of-way
(ROW) The land on which transmission lines and/or pipelines are located. The right-of-way is usually acquired in widths that vary with the kilovolt (kV) size of the transmission line, diameter of the pipeline, or number of collocated transmission lines and/or pipelines (e.g., they may range from as little as 25 to hundreds of feet wide). They provide a safety margin between the transmission line or pipeline and surrounding structures or vegetation. Some vegetation clearing is usually required within the ROW for safety and/or access. Vegetation favored within the ROW normally consists of species that are slow growing or that have low mature heights. Access roads may also be contained within portions of a ROW to provide convenient access for repair, maintenance, and inspection vehicles.

Residues
By-products from processing all forms of biomass that have significant energy potential. For example, making solid wood products and pulp from logs produces bark, shavings and sawdust, and spent pulping liquors. Because these residues are already collected at the point of processing, they can be convenient and relatively inexpensive sources of biomass for energy.

Revegetation
The reestablishment and development of self-sustaining plant cover. On disturbed sites, human assistance will speed natural processes by seedbed preparation, reseeding, and mulching.

Reservoir
A subsurface accumulation of liquid (e.g., crude oil, natural gas, steam) that can be recovered.

Registries, registry systems
Electronic databases that track and record emissions and emission allowance holdings, retirements, cancellations, and transfers.

Renewable resources
Energy resources that are naturally replenishing but flow-limited. They are virtually inexhaustible in duration, but limited in the amount of energy that is available per unit of time. Renewable energy resources include biomass, hydro, geothermal, solar, wind, ocean thermal, wave action, and tidal action.

Reserve pit
An excavated pit that may be lined with plastic, which holds drill cuttings and waste mud.

Reclamation
Process of restoring surface environment to acceptable preexisting conditions. Reclamation (also referred to as restoration) includes surface contouring, equipment removal, pipeline plugging, revegetation, etc.

Red liquor
A by-product of wood cooking in the magnesium sulphite process that can be used as a source of energy.

Reforestation
Planting of forests on lands that previously contained forests but that had been converted to some other use.

Pump station
A facility containing centrifugal pumps used to maintain movement of product within oil pipelines.

Pyrolysis
The breaking apart of complex molecules by heating in the absence of oxygen, producing solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels.

RCRA
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

Recharge/recharging
The addition of water to an aquifer by natural infiltration (e.g., rainfall that seeps into the ground) or by artificial injection through wells.

PSD
Prevention of Significant Deterioration.

Production wells
A well used to retrieve petroleum or gas from an underground reservoir. In fields in which improved recovery techniques are being applied, it is the well through which oil is produced.

Project footprint
The land or water area covered by a project. This includes direct physical coverage (i.e., the area on which the project physically stands) and direct effects (i.e., the disturbances that may directly emanate from the project, such as noise).

Proppants
Substances such as sand or glass beads, that are pumped into the formation as part of the fracturing job. The proppants become wedged in the open fractures, leaving channels for oil to flow through into the well after the hydraulic fracture pressure is released. This process is often called a `frac job.` When high concentrations of acid are used, it may be called an `acid frac job.` See also Fracing.

Production
Phase of commercial operation of an oil field. text Typical activities during the production phase include operation of wells and compressor or pump stations, waste management, and maintenance and replacement of facility components.

Production casing
Steel pipe installed in the borehole to isolate formations in the borehole and to eliminate communication among hydrocarbon-bearing zones and/or water aquifers and other mineral resources.

Porosity
The ratio of the aggregate volume of pore spaces in rock or soil to its total volume; usually stated as a percentage.

Power train
Interconnected mechanical devices that convert the kinetic energy of the ocean waves to electricity.

PPA
Pollution Prevention Act.

Produced water
Water brought to the surface through the borehole. Primary waste during production is produced water, which can comprise 98% of material brought to the surface. Conventional natural gas wells typically produce less water than oil wells. Produced water can become a significant waste stream during the production phase. Regulations govern the disposal of this waste stream; the majority of it is disposed of by underground injection either in disposal wells or, in mature producing fields, in enhanced oil recovery wells (i.e., wells through which produced water and other materials are injected into a producing formation in order to increase formation pressure and production). Substances found in high concentrations in produced water include chloride, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Other contaminants can include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), lead, arsenic, barium, antimony, sulfur, zinc, and naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM). Other wastes include residual wastes that remain after separation of the oil and natural gas.

Point absorber
Wave energy capture device, with principal dimension relatively small compared to the wavelength, that is able to capture energy from a wave front greater than the physical dimension of the device. There are floating and submerged models.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs) Any of a class of carcinogenic organic molecules that consist of three or more benzene rings and are commonly produced by fossil fuel combustion. Also called polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons.

Plug-flow system
A type of anaerobic digester that has a horizontal tank in which a constant volume of material is added, which forces material in the tank to move through the tank and be digested.

PM10
Particulate matter with a mean aerodynamic diameter of 10 micrometers (0.0004 in) or less. Particles smaller than this diameter can be deposited in the lungs. PM10 is one of the six criteria pollutants specified under Title I of the Clean Air Act.

PM2.5
Particulate matter with a mean aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 micrometers (0.0001 in.) or less.

Pipeline
All parts of the physical facility through which liquids or gases, such as crude oil and natural gas, are moved, usually over long distances between a producing region and a local distribution system. There are three major types of pipelines used to transport hydrocarbons: crude oil, natural gas, and product pipelines. There are three components of a natural gas pipeline system: the gathering system, the interstate pipeline, and the distribution system.

Pile, pile driving
A long, heavy timber or section of concrete or metal that is driven or jetted into the earth or seabed to serve as a support or protection.

Pigs
Generic term signifying an independent, self-contained device, tool, or vehicle that is that is routinely introduced into pipelines to clean the inner wall of the pipe and monitor for critical conditions that could compromise the integrity or efficiency of the pipeline, such as cracks, corrosion, and pipe deformations. These tools are referred to as `pigs` because of the occasional squealing noises that can be heard as they travel through the pipeline.

Photosynthesis
A process used by many plants and bacteria to build carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water, using energy derived from light. Photosynthesis is the key initial step in the growth of biomass and is depicted by the equation: CO2 + H2O + light + chlorophyll = (CH2O) + O2.

pesticides
Substances or mixture thereof intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest. Also, any substance or mixture intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant, or desiccant.

Petroleum
A broad category term that includes both crude oil and petroleum products, and is sometimes used interchangeably with the term ‘oil.’

Photobioreactor
A system that grows various plants especially algae, by providing efficient exposure to light, optimal temperatures, and pH levels.

Permeable host rock
Any porous rock comprising a viable geothermal reservoir. Permeability of the host rock is a measure of its ability to transmit a fluid (including both water and steam).

Permitted off-site disposal facility
A facility for disposing of hazardous waste that has met the requirements under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyl.

penstock
A closed conduit or pipe for conducting water to the powerhouse.

Perennial stream
A stream or reach of a stream that flows throughout the year.

Permeability
The capacity of a substance (such as rock) to transmit a fluid. The degree of permeability depends on the number, size, and shape of the pores and/or fractures in the rock and their interconnections. It is measured by the time it takes a fluid of standard viscosity to move a given distance.

Paleontological Resources
Fossilized remains, imprints, and traces of plants and animals preserved in rocks and sediments since some past geologic time.

Particulate matter
(PM) Fine solid or liquid particles, such as dust, soot, smoke, mist, fumes, or smog found in air or emissions. The size of the particulates is measured in micrometers (µm). One micrometer is 1 millionth of a meter or 0.000039 inch.

particulates
Solid particles and liquid droplets small enough to become airborne.

OSH Act
Occupational Safety & Health Act regulations.

OSHA
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.

Overtopping device
A partially submerged structure; a collector funnels waves over the top of the structure into a reservoir; water runs back out to the sea from this reservoir through a turbine. There are shore-based and floating models.

Onshore
A direction landward from the sea.

Oscillating water column device
A partially submerged structure that encloses a column of air above a column of water; a collector funnels waves into the structure below the waterline, causing the water column to rise and fall; this alternately pressurizes and depressurizes the air column, pushing or pulling it through a turbine. There are shore-based and floating models.

On-farm
Refers to a facility located on or adjacent to a farm that is the source of biomass.

Offshore
That area which lies seaward of the coastline

OHV
Off-highway vehicle.

Oil and gas field
A natural accumulation of oil and gas in the subsurface. Oil and gas may be present in two or more reservoirs at different depths.

Once-through cooling
Water (fresh or saline) that is withdrawn from a river, stream, or other water body (man-made or natural), or a well, that is passed through a steam condenser one time, and then returned to the river or stream or water body some distance from the intake.

Off-gas
The air or vapor that is released to the outside environment as a result of manufacturing operations or a treatment process.

Off-Highway Vehicle
(OHV) A class of vehicles that encompasses all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), off-highway motorcycles (OHMs), and off-road vehicles (ORVs) such as 4x4 trucks.

NSPS
New Source Performance Standards.

NSR
New Source Review.

NTEC
National Tribal Environmental Council .

NTOC
National Tribal Operations Committee.

NWCC
National Wind Coordinating Collaborative.

NWRSA
National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act.

Occupational Safety & Health Administration
(OSHA) The federal agency that enforces workplace health and safety legislation, created by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

NPS
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

noise
Any sound that is undesirable because it interferes with speech and hearing, is intense enough to damage hearing, or is otherwise annoying (unwanted sound).

noxious weeds
An annual, biennial, or perennial plant designated to be injurious to public health, the environment, public roads, crops, livestock, or other property.