The ability for a professional trade installer to provide the average UK householder with clear, correct and genuine information when advising on an installation, repair or maintenance lies at the very core of customer trust and service provider competency. Developing customer confidence is vital to encourage continued take-up of renewable energy technology.Integrity and adherence to working always at the highest industry standards is integral to AbleSkills approved and accredited City & Guilds / BPEC / NICEIC renewable energy courses, which are designed to provide all candidates with an essential and comprehensive curriculum to level 2 and 3 qualification.An important component to knowledge learning and skills training on, for example, solar PV courses, solar courses or heat pump courses is for installers to know how to specify and fit the right type of system in the right location for safe operation to maximum efficiency.We have been hearing lately of misleading or simply incorrect advice being given to homeowners who already may be confused or unclear as to their property's power requirements and the capability of solar panel technology to provide an effective solution.Much of the confusion or misinformation centres around power generation and consumption values, actual energy efficiency and the terminology used when assessing a property for the appropriate photovoltaics system.Set out below are basic explanations of just a few key terms commonly used in the 'renewables' and solar PV industry. As renewable energy systems increase in the decades to come, UK customers will no doubt become more aware and familiar with their meaning, which could prevent the activities of unscrupulous traders undermine the work of properly trained and qualified installers.U-value - indicates how well heat is retained inside a part of the building (ie. roof, window, door, wall) by measuring the heat flow through those components. The higher the figure, the higher the heat loss.kWh - kilowatt hour is a unit used to measure the energy generated by photovoltaic solar panels. Electricity bills are charged in kilowatt hours.kWh/year - kilowatt hour per year. Used to describe heat output or the amount of energy needed to heat a house. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) calculates that 3,742 kWh/year of energy is required to heat an average household's water.kWp - kilowatt peak is the measure of how much power a photovoltaic system produces from the sun under test conditions. It measures the power produced under 1kW per m2 of light. The more efficient the system, the smaller the area of panels needed.