> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://knowledge.aterio.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://knowledge.aterio.io/glossary/glossary.md).

# Glossary

### Data Centers

**Activation Date:** The date a data center building is estimated or confirmed to begin operating and consuming power.

**Announced:** A project that has been publicly disclosed but has not yet entered physical construction.

**Campus:** A development site containing one or more data center buildings.

**Critical IT Load:** The electrical capacity available specifically for servers and IT equipment, excluding cooling and other facility systems.

**Data Center Building:** An individual physical facility within a data center campus.

**Facility Power / Total Power:** Total electrical demand for the facility, including IT equipment, cooling, lighting, and supporting infrastructure.

**Hyperscale Data Center:** A large facility designed to support substantial cloud, AI, or digital infrastructure workloads.

**Land Bank:** Land controlled for potential future development where a specific construction timeline may not yet exist.

**Powered Shell:** A building with power and core infrastructure installed but without a fully completed customer-specific data hall.

**White Space:** The area within a data center where servers, racks, and IT equipment are installed.

**Grey Space:** Areas containing supporting mechanical and electrical equipment.

**PUE:** Power Usage Effectiveness, calculated as total facility power divided by IT equipment power.

### Project Stages and Dates

**Construction Start Date:** The estimated or confirmed date when meaningful physical construction begins.

**Construction Completion Date:** The date when major physical construction is substantially complete, which may occur before activation.

**Delayed:** A project that remains active but is progressing later than previously expected.

**Operational:** A facility that has entered service or is confirmed to be consuming power.

**Site Clearing:** Removal of vegetation, structures, or other obstacles before grading and construction.

**Site Grading:** Earthmoving activity undertaken to level and prepare a development site.

**Vertical Construction:** Construction activity involving the building structure above the foundation.

**Commissioning:** Testing and validation of electrical, mechanical, cooling, and operational systems before activation.

**Cancelled / Withdrawn:** A project that is no longer expected to proceed under its previously announced plan.

### Power and Grid

**Behind-the-Meter (BTM):** Power generation located at or directly connected to the customer site and intended to supply onsite electricity demand.

**Balancing Authority (BA):** The organization responsible for balancing electricity supply and demand within a defined region.

**Interconnection Queue:** A list of projects requesting permission to connect to the electricity grid.

**Interconnection Agreement:** An agreement setting out the technical and commercial requirements for connecting a project to the grid.

**ISO / RTO:** Organizations that coordinate wholesale electricity markets and grid operations across defined regions.

**Load:** The amount of electricity consumed by a facility or group of facilities.

**Megawatt (MW):** A unit of electrical capacity equal to one million watts.

**Nameplate Capacity:** The maximum rated output of a power-generation asset under specified conditions.

**On-Grid Generation:** Generation connected to and supplying electricity through the broader power grid.

**Power Purchase Agreement (PPA):** A contract under which a buyer agrees to purchase electricity from a generation project.

**Substation:** Infrastructure used to transform voltage and connect facilities or generation assets to the grid.

**Utility:** The company responsible for distributing or supplying electricity within a service territory.

### Power Generation

**Battery Energy Storage System (BESS):** A system that stores electricity for later use.

**Combined Heat and Power (CHP):** A system that produces electricity and useful thermal energy from the same fuel source.

**Distributed Generation:** Smaller-scale generation located near the point of electricity consumption.

**Fuel Type:** The primary energy source used by a generation project, such as natural gas, solar, wind, or hydrogen.

**Gas Peaker Plant:** A power plant designed to operate during periods of high electricity demand.

**Reciprocating Engine:** A combustion engine used to generate electricity, often for flexible or onsite generation.

**Transmission Project:** Infrastructure designed to move large amounts of electricity between regions or substations.

**Turbine:** Equipment that converts energy from gas, steam, wind, or water into mechanical and electrical power.

### Industrial Developments

**Capital Investment:** The disclosed or estimated amount invested in a development project.

**Developer:** The company responsible for advancing, financing, or constructing a project.

**Early Signal:** An initial indicator of a potential development, such as land acquisition, permits, utility filings, or company disclosures.

**Industrial Development:** A major manufacturing, logistics, semiconductor, chemical, energy, or other industrial project.

**Project Footprint:** The estimated land or building area occupied by a development.

**Site Control:** Evidence that a developer owns, leases, or has an option over the project land.

**Special Use Permit:** Local approval allowing a land use that is not automatically permitted under existing zoning.

**Zoning / Rezoning:** The local land-use classification or process required to allow a proposed development.

### Aterio Data Fields

**Aterio Estimated Power:** Aterio’s estimate of total facility power based on public information, building characteristics, satellite analysis, and proprietary models.

**Estimated Date:** A date derived from available evidence when no confirmed public date exists.

**Execution Likelihood:** Aterio’s assessment of the probability that a project will proceed based on available development signals.

**Published Power:** Power capacity publicly disclosed by a developer, utility, regulator, or another source.

**Source URL:** A public source supporting a project field, update, or event.

**Unique ID:** A persistent Aterio identifier assigned to a building, campus, company, or power project.

**Inventory Table:** The latest available record for each project, campus, or building.

**Snapshot:** A complete version of the dataset captured at a specific point in time.


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