20 Abbreviations & Acronyms for Land Professionals in Renewable Energy
Most industries have a myriad of abbreviations and acronyms that get thrown around by insiders. Land services is no exception. Below is a list of 20 terms that are used in our space, especially when renewable energy projects are involved.
Important Terms to Know
AOI: A project’s area of interest (AOI) includes the geographic region within which development could feasibly occur.
BESS: Battery energy storage systems (BESS) harness large-scale battery technology to store excess power from the electrical grid for use during service disruption or shifts in demand.
BLM: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, manages America’s public lands, part of which involves hosting sales and exchanges.
CCS / CCUS: Carbon capture storage (CCS) or carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) involves capturing carbon dioxide and storing it elsewhere, typically far below the earth’s surface.
CO2: Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a chemical compound that is found in Earth’s atmosphere.
EGS: Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), which are designed to inject fluid underground and create new reservoirs for geothermal energy, could someday power over 65 million homes, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
EIA: The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) publishes data and insights about the nation’s energy industry, including renewables.
EOR: Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is a secondary recovery technique that, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, occurs in three ways: thermal recovery, chemical injection, or gas injection (such as carbon dioxide).
GHGRP: The Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) places emissions reporting requirements on certain facilities.
GIS: Land professionals and developers rely on geological information systems (GIS) to perform a variety of tasks, such as planning areas of interest and identifying natural resources that may pose challenges to a project.
ISO: Independent System Operators (ISOs) like Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (MISO) oversee the energy grid on a region-by-region basis.
kV: Kilovolt (kV) is a unit of measurement of electricity voltage. One kV equals 1,000 volts.
MW: One megawatt (MW) is equal to 1 million watts.
NETL: The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), part of the U.S. Department of Energy, works to enable a clean, secure future in energy by focusing on technologies that advance carbon management and resource sustainability.
NREL: The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, develops programs, research, and information that advances energy systems innovation and integration.
ROW: When it comes to land usage rights, right of way (ROW) typically refers to easements for the construction of roads, transmission lines, pipeline construction, or other purposes.
RPL: A Registered Professional Landman (RPL) meets certain certification requirements as set forth by the American Association of Professional Landmen.
RTO: In addition to ISOs, Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) like Southwest Power Pool (SPP) also play an important role in managing the United States’ energy grid.
STEO: The Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) is a useful forecast report provided by the EIA.
USGS: The U.S. Geological Survey, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, provides data and scientific information pertaining to the nation’s mineral resources.
Did we miss something? Contact our team at New Era Land Services, and we’ll be happy to update the list.