Energy Glossary
To make the informed choice, you need to know the lingo. Learn it here.
H
An increase in the amount of heat contained in a space resulting from direct solar radiation, heat flow through walls, windows, and other building surfaces, and the heat given off by people, lights, equipment, and other sources.
A decrease in the amount of heat contained in a space, resulting from heat flow through walls, windows, roof and other building surfaces and from ex-filtration of warm air.
A method by which a purchaser or producer of natural gas uses a derivative position to protect against adverse price movements in the cash market by “locking in” a price for future delivery.
A pipeline interchange near Erath, LA, where a number of interstate and intrastate pipelines interconnect. The standard delivery point for the New York Mercantile Exchange natural gas futures contract.
Any customer who uses natural gas for heating a residence, governmental agency or other entity which provides emergency or life-support services. Human Needs Customers include hospitals, nursing homes and residential correctional institutions. Excluded are hotels, motels and nonresidential educational facilities.
A chemical compound composed solely of carbon and hydrogen. The compounds having a small number of carbon and hydrogen atoms in their molecules are usually gaseous; those with a larger number of atoms are liquid, and the compounds with the largest number of atoms are solid.