Lesson

Energy

Energy and power vocabulary

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

Energy Vocabulary — Introduction

This lesson covers common words and expressions used to talk about energy in business and professional contexts. You'll learn terms related to types of energy, how energy is produced and stored, and important concepts like efficiency and sustainability.

  • Focus on meanings, collocations, and usage in workplace contexts (reports, meetings, emails).
  • Practice with example sentences and short quizzes to strengthen retention.
  • Useful for discussions about corporate sustainability, operations, and project proposals.

Table

Key Energy Vocabulary — Reference

Word Part of Speech Definition Example
renewable energy noun Energy from sources that are naturally replenished, e.g., solar, wind, hydro. The company invested in renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions.
fossil fuel noun Carbon-based fuels formed from ancient organic matter, e.g., coal, oil, natural gas. Rising fossil fuel prices affected the factory's operating costs.
energy efficiency noun Using less energy to provide the same service or output. Improving energy efficiency lowered our electricity bills last quarter.
sustainable adjective Capable of being maintained over the long term without depleting resources. We developed a sustainable plan for office heating.
grid noun The network that delivers electricity from producers to consumers. A blackout affected the entire regional grid.
battery storage noun Systems that store electrical energy for later use. Battery storage helps balance supply when solar panels are inactive.
carbon footprint noun The total greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, event, or organization. The audit measured our corporate carbon footprint.
dispatch verb / noun To send out power or the act of sending; managing electricity supply in real time. Operators dispatched additional power during peak demand.

Tip

How to use energy vocabulary in reports and emails

Choose precise terms and pair them with common collocations:

  • Use 'renewable energy' or 'renewables' when referring to solar, wind, hydro.
  • Pair 'energy efficiency' with verbs like 'improve', 'increase', or 'measure'.
  • Use 'carbon footprint' with verbs like 'reduce', 'measure', or 'offset'.
  • Refer to 'battery storage' when discussing intermittent power sources and reliability.

In business writing, prefer specific terms (e.g., 'energy efficiency measures') to vague words like 'green'.

Example

Examples in context

Our annual report highlights investments in renewable energy projects.

The operations team implemented energy efficiency measures across all sites.

We are evaluating battery storage options to manage peak demand.

Reducing the company's carbon footprint is a strategic priority for next year.

Tip

Common mistakes to avoid

Watch out for universal errors when using energy vocabulary:

  • Confusing countable and uncountable nouns (e.g., 'fossil fuels' vs 'energy').
  • Using vague adjectives like 'green' instead of specific terms such as 'renewable' or 'low-carbon'.
  • Incorrect word order in noun phrases (e.g., saying 'energy renewable' instead of 'renewable energy').
  • Mismatching singular/plural with verbs (e.g., 'The data is' vs 'The data are' — choose consistent register).
  • Overusing jargon without defining terms for non-specialist audiences.

When in doubt, choose precise, widely understood terms and keep sentences clear and direct.

Quiz

Choose the sentence that uses the correct term:

Hint: Think about the source of energy produced by solar panels.

Quiz

Complete: The company installed _____ to store excess electricity during the day.

Hint: Think about systems that retain electricity for later use

Quiz

Which phrase best completes this sentence? "To meet regulatory targets, we must _____ our carbon footprint by 30% over five years."

Hint: Focus on a verb that means 'make smaller' or 'lower'.

Key Points

Vocabulary

renewable energy

noun CEFR B2 //rɪˈnuːəbl ˈɛnərdʒi//

Energy from naturally replenishing sources such as solar, wind, and hydro.

Investing in renewable energy reduces long-term operating costs.

Vocabulary

fossil fuel

noun CEFR B2 //ˈfɒsəl ˈfjuːəl//

A fuel formed from prehistoric plant and animal remains, like coal, oil, or natural gas.

Higher fossil fuel prices can increase production costs.

Vocabulary

energy efficiency

noun CEFR B2 //ˈɛnərdʒi ɪˈfɪʃənsi//

Using less energy to perform the same task or produce the same result.

The firm achieved significant savings through energy efficiency upgrades.

Vocabulary

battery storage

noun CEFR B2 //ˈbætəri ˈstɔːrɪdʒ//

Systems that store electrical energy for use when generation is low or demand is high.

Battery storage ensures continuity during intermittent generation periods.

Vocabulary

carbon footprint

noun CEFR B2 //ˈkɑːbən ˈfʊtprɪnt//

The total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an entity.

Our sustainability report tracks the company's carbon footprint annually.

Vocabulary

grid

noun CEFR B1 //ɡrɪd//

The interconnected network for delivering electricity from producers to consumers.

A fault in the grid caused temporary power outages in the area.

Vocabulary

dispatch

verb / noun CEFR C1 //dɪˈspætʃ//

To send out power or resources; in energy systems, managing supply in real time.

Grid operators dispatch generators to meet sudden increases in demand.