Dictionary of Energy - Q

Quadrillion: The quantity 1,000,000,000,000,000 (10 to the 15th power).

Qualifying facility (QF): A cogeneration or small power production facility that meets certain ownership, operating, and efficiency criteria established by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) pursuant to the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA).

Quality or grade (of coal): An informal classification of coal relating to its suitability for use for a particular purpose. Refers to individual measurements such as heat value, fixed carbon, moisture, ash, sulfur, major, minor, and trace elements, coking properties, petrologic properties, and particular organic constituents. The individual quality elements may be aggregated in various ways to classify coal for such special purposes as metallurgical, gas, petrochemical, and blending usages.

Quantity wires charge: A fee for moving electricity over the transmission and/or distribution system that is based on the quantity of electricity that is transmitted.