Climate Action Glossary

Climate Action Data Portal  /  Climate Action Glossary
This page provides definitions for commonly used phrases and acronyms within the Climate Action Data Portal.

AFV

Alternative fuel vehicle. These include those classified as alternative fuel vehicles by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Alternative fuel types include battery electric, hybrid diesel, ethanol, fuel cell, hybrid gas, plug-in hybrid, butane, compressed natural gas, methanol, methane, natural gas, and propane.

Behind-the-meter

Power (electricity) that can be used without passing through a meter (i.e., provided directly to a home or business)

Bikeways

Bikeway classifications used by SANDAG and identified in the California Highway Design Manual are as follows:
  • Class 1 Bicycle Path: paved right-of-way lanes physically separated from vehicle traffic that may be shared by other non-motorized modes, such as pedestrians.
  • Class 2 Bicycle Lane: roadway lanes defined by pavement markings and signage for exclusive or preferential bicycle travel.
  • Class 3 Bicycle Lane: roadway lanes indicated by signage for shared use between bicycles and vehicles.
  • Class 4 Cycle Track: protected pathways exclusive to bicycle use and fully separated from vehicular and other non-motorized traffic.

BTU

British thermal unit.

CAP

Climate Action Plan. This effort is completed at the local planning level to preparing for and reducing the effects of climate change.

CCA/CCE

Community Choice Aggregation/Community Choice Energy. This program permits cities, counties, and other authorized entities to purchase and/or generate electricity for residents and businesses located within the boundaries of their jurisdiction.

CO2

Carbon Dioxide

Electricity Emission Factor - Grid-only

Each city may have a different grid-only electricity emission factor depending on the percentage of Direct Access customers supplied by other electric service providers through the SDG&E grid. The emission factor does not consider the behind-the meter PV supply. PV supply is assumed to have no emissions.

EVCS

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. Statistics for these indicate both chargers and charging points. Each station typically has more than one charger, and each charger may have more than one plug-point.

EV

Electric vehicle.

GHG

Greenhouse gas.

kW

Kilowatt.

kWh

Kilowatt hour.

LED

Light-emitting diode.

MMBTU

Million British thermal units.

MT

Metric tons.

MT CO2e

Metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent.

MWh

Megawatt hour.

MTS

Metropolitan Transit System.

NCTD

North County Transit District.

OD-VMT

Origin-Destination vehicle miles traveled. These are all the miles traveled within a jurisdiction's boundaries plus the miles originating and ending in that jurisdiction divided by two. This satisfies the method of allocating VMT to jurisdictions under the ICLEIUS Communities Protocol for GHG Inventories.

Power Your Drive EVCS

Power Your Drive chargers were installed by SDG&E at workplaces and multi-family buildings. These are not available for public use.

PV

Photovoltaic.

ReCAP

Region-Wide Average Vehicle Emission Rate

Based on the EMFAC2017 model, the average emission rate based on the VMT distribution of vehicle classes in the San Diego region.

SANDAG

SDG&E

San Diego Gas & Electric.

STS

TDM

Transportation demand management.

VMT

Vehicle miles traveled.

W

Watt.

ZEV

Zero-emission vehicles. These include battery electric, plug in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles, as defined by the California Air Resources Board.