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Media center : Glossary

  • capacity factor

    time during which a power station is in operation as a percentage of the total time, over a complete year. The difference between the available time and 100% is the number of hours shutdown for maintenance or repair. At the moment, capacity factors are typically more than 80%.

  • carbon credits

    to help companies and countries achieve their GHG emissions reduction targets, the Kyoto Protocol provides for a carbon trading system based on carbon reduction credits (CRC), the exchange currency in a carbon credit market. When a company reduces its emissions below regulatory levels, it can have the “excess” reduction certified and converted into carbon credits, which it can then sell to a company that has not yet reached its reduction targets.

  • cathod

    negative electrode (opposite of ANODE).

  • Cesium 137, Iodine 131

    main fission products generated during the reaction in the core of an enriched uranium nuclear reactor.

  • cogeneration

    the production of heat and electricity from the same fuel: fermentation gases (methane), natural gas, coal, fuel oil, etc.

  • combustible biomass

    solid fuel of plant (agricultural or forestry), animal or organic origin used to produce energy (heat and/or electricity).

  • conventional crude oil

    conventional crude oil is generally defined as oil extracted by traditional means; it represents 95% of all oil production. In contrast, oil obtained by non-traditional methods is extracted using elaborate recovery processes. These oils include heavy oils, oil sands, and bitumen oils. Also defined as non-conventional oils are those extracted in polar regions and in very deep waters. Non-conventional oils represent 5% of global oil production.

  • coolant

    said of a material that transports heat produced by uranium fuel assemblies making up the reactor core. Examples of coolants are water, some liquid metals at ambient temperatures such as sodium, and gases such as helium.

  • cooling unit

    negative kilogalorie. Old measurement unit used to measure the quantity of heat removed.

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True/False

Demand is not always highest in winter