The flow of electricity; for example, in metals which are good conductors of electric currents.

A type of electrical current, the direction of which is reversed at regular intervals or cycles.

In the United States, the standard is 120 reversals or 60 cycles per second. Electricity transmission networks use alternating current because voltage can be controlled with relative ease.

Alternating current is easier to transmit over long distances than direct current (DC), and it is the form of electricity used today in most homes and businesses.

The electrical current produced by a photovoltaic array when it is exposed to sunlight.

The current at which maximum power is available from a module.

A type of electricity transmission and distribution by which electricity flows in one direction through the conductor, usually relatively low voltage and high current.

To be used for typical 120 volt or 220 volt household appliances, DC must be converted to alternating current, its opposite.

The flow of electrical energy (electricity) in a conductor, measured in amperes.

An electric current consists of charged particles moving through a conductor usually consisting of electrons.

The electrons in some atoms; such as, copper and aluminum, are free to move and to jump from one atom to another and such materials are known as conductors.

Other materials; such as, wood, do not contain as many moving electrons, and so they are called insulators and when a material is neither completely a conductor nor an insulator, it is called a semiconductor.

When an electric current moves continuously in one direction, it is called a direct current and when the current fluctuates rapidly back and forth, it is called an alternating current.

Alternating current is used in almost all worldwide household wiring today while direct current is commonly seen in battery-operated devices.

The portion of charge current that goes into electrolytical production of hydrogen and oxygen from the electrolytic liquid.

This current increases with increasing voltage and temperature.

The current required by the electrical device.

Amperes produced by a photovoltaic module or array operating at the voltage of the I-V curve that will produce maximum power from the module.

The current output of a photovoltaic module measured at standard test conditions of 1,000 w/m2 and 25 degrees Celsius cell temperature.

Any method of preventing unwanted current flow from the battery to the photovoltaic array (usually at night).

Also see blocking diode.

The electrical current flowing freely through an external circuit that has no load or resistance; the maximum current possible.

This is the amount of current (power) used by the inverter when no load is active (lost power).

The efficiency of the inverter is lowest when the load demand is low.