The definition of electricity is given as “the flow of electrons along a conductor”. If you have ever come into physical contact with this flow of electrons by touching some exposed wire or other exposed electrical device you will note that you received a shock. This shock is the result of electrons using your body as a conductor. Typically, we prefer electricity to stay in a designated, approved conductor and to move in an orderly fashion to its point of use.

In order for electrons to “flow” the potential must be greater at the source than at the load much like a water faucet and garden hose. We have to turn on the faucet and introduce water into the garden hose in order to get a flow of water out the other end. Likewise in electricity, we have to introduce electrons into one end of a wire in order to get electricity out the other end of the wire. The volume and pressure of electricity introduced at one end will determine the amount of work that the electrons can do at the other end. Since the terms “volume” and “pressure” were already taken by the water people, the electric people coined the terms “amperage” and “voltage” to differentiate between water and electrical volume and pressure. Not surprisingly, amperage (sometimes referred to as current) is measured in Amps and voltage is measured in Volts.

Given a high enough amperage and voltage, electricity can knock you off your feet just as surely as if you were squirted with a large volume of water at high pressure.

There are many factors that affect the flow of electrons along a conductor and a few of them are important to us in the design of our renewable energy systems. One of the main considerations is knowing how much work can be done with a given amount of electricity. We have all heard the term Watts when applied to a light bulb, toaster, hair dryer, microwave oven or other appliance. Watts are the amount of power consumed or amount of electrical work required to do a job. Watts are normally measured by the hour so that a 100 watt light bulb burning for 1 hour would consume 100 watt hours of electricity.