Energy terminology · MLC-0117

Energy terms: B (89)

• bThe abbreviation for barrel(s).
• Backup fuelIn a central heat pump system, the fuel used in the furnace that takes over the space heating when the...
• Backup generatorA generator that is used only for test purposes, or in the event of an emergency, such as a shortage of power...
• Backup powerElectric energy supplied by a utility to replace power and energy lost during an unscheduled equipment outage.
• Balancing authority (electric)The responsible entity that integrates resource plans ahead of time, maintains load-interchange-generation...
• Balancing itemRepresents differences between the sum of the components of natural gas supply and the sum of the components...
• BarrelA unit of volume equal to 42 U.S. gallons.
• Barrels per calendar dayThe amount of input that a distillation facility can process under usual operating conditions. The amount is...
• Barrels per stream dayThe maximum number of barrels of input that a distillation facility can process within a 24-hour period when...
• Base billA charge calculated by taking the rate from the appropriate electric rate schedule and applying it to the...
• Base gasThe quantity of natural gas needed to maintain adequate reservoir pressures and deliverability rates...
• Base loadThe minimum amount of electric power delivered or required over a given period of time at a steady rate.
• Base load capacityThe generating equipment normally operated to serve loads on an around-the-clock basis.
• Base load plantA plant, usually housing high-efficiency steam-electric units, which is normally operated to take all or part...
• Base periodThe period of time for which data used as the base of an index number, or other ratio, have been collected...
• Base rateA fixed kilowatthour charge for electricity consumed that is independent of other charges and/or adjustments.
• Baseboard heaterAs a type of heating equipment, a system in which either electric resistance coils or finned tubes carrying...
• Battery electric vehicleAn all-electric vehicle that receives power by plugging into an electric power source and storing the power...
• bcfThe abbreviation for billion cubic feet.
• b/dThe abbreviation for barrel(s) per day.
• Benzene (C_6H_6)An aromatic hydrocarbon present in small proportion in some crude oils and made commercially from petroleum...
• Bi-fuel vehicleA motor vehicle that operates on two different fuels, but not on a mixture of the fuels. Each fuel is stored...
• Bilateral agreementA written statement signed by two parties that specifies the terms for exchanging energy.
• Bilateral energy transactionA transaction between two willing parties who enter into a physical or financial agreement to trade energy...
• Billing periodThe time between meter readings. It does not refer to the time when the bill was sent or when the payment was...
• BiobutanolButanol isomers (specifically, isobutanol, n-butanol, and t-butanol) for fuel use and derived from renewable...
• Biodiesel (B100)Renewable fuel consisting of mono alkyl esters (long chain fatty acids) that are produced through the...
• BiofuelsLiquid fuels and blending components produced from biomass feedstocks, used primarily for transportation.
• BiogasA mixture of methane and other gases produced by decomposing matter in an oxygen-free (anaerobic) environment...
• BiogenicProduced by biological processes of living organisms. Note: EIA uses the term "biogenic" to refer only to...
• Biogenic emissionsEmissions that are naturally occurring and are not significantly affected by human actions or activity.
• BiointermediatesBiofuels that will be further processed into a refined product at petroleum refineries or other facilities...
• BiomassOrganic nonfossil material of biological origin constituting a renewable energy source.
• Biomass gasA medium Btu gas containing methane and carbon dioxide, resulting from the action of microorganisms on...
• Biomass wasteOrganic non-fossil material of biological origin that is a byproduct or a discarded product. Biomass waste...
• Biomass-based diesel fuelBiodiesel and other renewable diesel fuel or diesel fuel blending components derived from biomass, but...
• BitumenA naturally occurring viscous mixture, mainly of hydrocarbons heavier than pentane, that may contain sulphur...
• Bituminous coalA dense coal, usually black, sometimes dark brown, often with well-defined bands of bright and dull material...
• Black liquorA by product of the paper production process, alkaline spent liquor, that can be used as a source of energy...
• Black lung benefitsIn the content of the coal operation statement of income, this term refers to all payments, including taxes...
• Blast furnaceA furnace in which solid fuel (coke) is burned with an air blast to smelt ore.
• Blast-furnace gasThe waste combustible gas generated in a blast furnace when iron ore is being reduced with coke to metallic...
• Blending plantA facility that has no refining capability but is either capable of producing finished motor gasoline through...
• Block-rate structureAn electric rates schedule with a provision for charging a different unit cost for various increasing blocks...
• BLSBureau of Labor Statistics within the U.S. Department of Labor
• BOEBarrels of Oil Equivalent (used internationally)
• BoilerA device for generating steam for power, processing, or heating purposes; or hot water for heating purposes...
• Boiler fuelAn energy source to produce heat that is transferred to the boiler vessel in order to generate steam orhot...
• Boiling-water reactorA light-water reactor in which water, used as both coolant and moderator, is allowed to boil in the core. The...
• Bonded petroleum importsPetroleum imported and entered into Customs bonded storage. These imports are not included in the import...
• Bone coalCoal with a high ash content; it is dull in appearance, hard, and compact.
• Book valueThe portion of the carrying value (other than the portion associated with tangible assets) prorated in each...
• Booked costsCosts allocated or assigned to inter-departmental or intra company transactions, such as on-system or...
• Borderline customerA customer located in the service area of one utility, but supplied by a neighboring utility through an...
• Bottled gas, LPG, or propaneAny fuel gas supplied to a building in liquid form, such as liquefied petroleum gas, propane, or butane. It...
• Bottom ashResidue mainly from the coal burning process that falls to the bottom of the boiler for removal and disposal.
• Bottom-hole contributionA payment (either in cash or in acreage) that is required by agreement when a test well is drilled to a...
• Bottoming cycleA waste-heat recovery boiler recaptures the unused energy and uses it to produce steam to drive a steam...
• bpThe abbreviation for boiling point.
• Branded productA refined petroleum product sold by a refiner with the understanding that the purchaser has the right to...
• Break-even cutoff gradeThe lowest grade of material that can be mined and processed considering all applicable costs, without...
• BrecciaA coarse-grained clastic rock, composed of angular broken rock fragments held together by a mineral cement or...
• Breeder reactorA reactor that both produces and consumes fissionable fuel, especially one that creates more fuel than it...
• BreezeThe fine screenings from crushed coke. Usually breeze will pass through a 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch screen...
• British thermal unitThe quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 pound of liquid water by 1 degree Fahrenheit at...
• b/sdThe abbreviation for barrel(s) per stream day.
• BtuThe abbreviation for British Thermal Unit(s).
• Btu conversion factorA factor for converting energy data between one unit of measurement and British thermal units (Btu). Btu...
• Btu per cubic footThe total heating value, expressed in Btu, produced by the combustion, at constant pressure, of the amount of...
• BTXThe acronym for the commercial petroleum aromatics-- benzene, toluene, and xylene.
• Budget planAn agreement between the household and the utility company or fuel supplier that allows the household to pay...
• Building shell conservation featureA building feature designed to reduce energy loss or gain through the shell or envelope of the building. Data...
• Building shell (envelope) DSM programA DSM program that promotes reduction of energy consumption through improvements to the building envelope...
• Built-in electric unitsAn individual-resistance electric-heating unit that is permanently installed in the floors, walls, ceilings...
• Bulk power transactionsThe wholesale sale, purchase, and interchange of electricity among electric utilities. Bulk power...
• Bulk salesWholesale sales of gasoline in individual transactions which exceed the size of a truckload.
• Bulk stationA facility used primarily for the storage and/or marketing of petroleum products, which has a total bulk...
• Bulk terminalA facility used primarily for the storage and/or marketing of petroleum products, which has a total bulk...
• Bundled utility service (electric)A means of operation whereby energy, transmission, and distribution services, as well as ancillary and retail...
• Bunker fuelsFuel supplied to ships and aircraft, both domestic and foreign, consisting primarily of residual and...
• Burn daysThe number of days the station could continue to operate by burning coal already on hand assuming no...
• BurnupAmount of thermal energy generated per unit mass of fuel, expressed as Gigawatt-Days Thermal per Metric Ton...
• BusAn electrical conductor that serves as a common connection for two or more electrical circuits.
• Butane (C_4H_(10))A straight-chain or branch-chain hydrocarbon extracted from natural gas or refinery gas streams, which is...
• Butylene (C_4H_8)An olefinic hydrocarbon recovered from refinery or petrochemical processes, which is gaseous at standard...
• Buy-back oilCrude oil acquired from a host government whereby a portion of the government's ownership interest in the...
• BWRBoiling-Water Reactor
• Bypassed footageBypassed footage is the footage in that section of hole that is abandoned as the result of remedial sidetrack...
• ByproductA secondary or additional product resulting from the feedstock use of energy or the processing of nonenergy...

89 of 2,515 terms in Energy terminology (MLC-0117). Request the full dataset.