| AC | alternating current |
| AEO | Annual Energy Outlook (U.S. Energy Information Administration) |
| ATB | Annual Technology Baseline |
| BAR | Big Adaptive Rotor |
| BESS | battery energy storage system(s) |
| BNEF | Bloomberg NEF |
| BOS | balance of system |
| CAPEX | capital expenditures |
| CC | capital cost (CSP page) |
| CC | combined cycle |
| CF | capacity factor |
| CFDC | DC-rated capacity |
| cfs | cubic feet per second |
| CO2 | carbon dioxide |
| COD | commercial operation date |
| CCS | carbon capture and storage |
| CRF | capital recovery factor |
| CSP | concentrating solar power |
| CT | combustion turbine |
| DC | direct current |
| DF | debt fraction |
| dGen | Distributed Generation Market Demand Model |
| DNI | direct normal irradiance |
| DOE | U.S. Department of Energy |
| DSCR | debt service coverage ratio |
| EERE | Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, Office of |
| EGS | enhanced geothermal system |
| EIA | U.S. Energy Information Administration |
| EMRF | expected market return on premium |
| E/P | energy to power ratio |
| EPC | engineering, procurement, and construction |
| ETSAP | Energy Technology Systems Analysis Program (IEA) |
| FCR | fixed charge rate |
| FECM | DOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management |
| FER&D | Fossil Energy Research and Development |
| FOM | fixed operation and maintenance |
| ft | feet |
| GCC | grid connection costs |
| FORGE | Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy |
| GETEM | Geothermal Electricity Technology Evaluation Model |
| GHI | global horizontal irradiance |
| GW | gigawatt |
| GWAC | gigawatt, alternating current |
| GWe | gigawatt, electrical |
| H | head |
| ha | hectare |
| HAP | Hydropower Advancement Project |
| HIDEA | Hydropower Integrated Design and Economic Analysis |
| hr | hour |
| HRSG | heat recovery steam generator |
| IDC | interest during construction |
| IEA | International Energy Agency |
| IGCC | integrated gasification combined cycle |
| ILR | inverter loading ratio |
| IPP | independent power producer |
| IRENA | International Renewable Energy Agency |
| IRP | integrated resource plan |
| ISO-NE | ISO New England |
| ITC | investment tax credit |
| JRC | Joint Research Centre, European Commission |
| km2 | square kilometers |
| kV | kilovolt |
| kW | kilowatt |
| kWAC | kilowatt, alternating current |
| kWDC | kilowatt, direct current |
| kWe | kilowatt electrical |
| KWh | kilowatt-hour |
| kWhAC | kilowatt-hour, alternating current |
| LCOE | levelized cost of energy |
| LFP | lithium iron phosphate |
| LIB | lithium-ion battery |
| LIBOR | London Inter-bank Offered Rate |
| m | meter |
| MACRS | modified accelerated cost recovery system |
| mi | mile |
| MPa | megapascal |
| MW | megawatt |
| MWAC | megawatt, alternating current |
| MWDC | megawatt, direct current |
| MWe | megawatt electrical |
| MWh | megawatt-hour |
| NETL | National Energy Technology Laboratory |
| NEMS | National Energy Modeling System |
| NF-EGS | near-hydrothermal field enhanced geothermal system |
| NGCC | natural gas combine cycle |
| NGCT | natural gas combustion turbine |
| NGFC | natural gas fuel cell |
| N/A | not applicable |
| nm | nautical miles |
| NMC | nickel manganese cobalt |
| NPD | non-powered dam |
| NREL | National Renewable Energy Laboratory |
| NSD | new stream-reach development |
| NSRDB | National Solar Radiation Database |
| O&M | operation and maintenance |
| OCC | overnight capital cost |
| OGS | oil-gas-steam |
| OPEX | operating expense |
| ORCA | Offshore Regional Cost Analyzer |
| PC | pulverized coal |
| PPA | power purchase agreement |
| PSH | pumped storage hydropower |
| PTC | production tax credit |
| PV | photovoltaic |
| R&D | research and development |
| ReEDS | Regional Energy Deployment System |
| ROP | rate of penetration |
| RROE | rate of return on equity |
| RTE | round-trip efficiency |
| SAM | System Advisor Model |
| TES | thermal energy storage |
| TMY | typical meteorological year |
| TRG | techno-resource group |
| TWh | terawatt-hour |
| USACE | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| USD | U.S. dollars |
| USGS | United States Geological Survey |
| VOM | variable operation and maintenance |
| W | watt |
| WAC | watt, alternating current |
| WDC | watt, direct current |
| WACC | weighted average cost of capital |
| WIND | Wind Integration National Dataset |
| yr | year |