Glossary
The following definitions reflect those used by the International Energy Agency (IEA); definitions used by other organisations and publications may vary.
N2O
nitrous oxide
NAMA
nationally appropriate mitigation action
NAP
national allocation plan, under the EU ETS, each government must produce a national allocation plan
NBP
national balancing point
NEA
Nuclear Energy Agency (an agency within the OECD)
NEC
National Energy Commission (China)
NEDC
New European Driving Cycle
NEEDS
New Energy Externalities Development for Sustainability (research project for the European Commission)
NEET
Network of Expertise in Energy Technology, an initiative to enhance collaboration between OECD and non-member countries (launched in May 2006)
NESO
National Emergency Strategy Organisation (from the IEA’s Emergency Policy Division)
NET
Network Unit (within the IEA Energy Technology Policy [ETP] Division)
NEWNE
Synchronous grid operation of northern, eastern, western and north-eastern grids (India)
NGCC
natural gas combined cycle
NGL
natural gas liquid
NGO
non-governmental organisation
NGOC
natural gas open-cycle
NGV
natural gas vehicle
NIMBY
not in my back yard
NOC
national oil company
NOx
nitrogen oxides
NSM
National Solar Mission (India)
NTP
National Tariff Policy (India)
NYMEX
New York Mercantile Exchange
NZEC
near-zero emissions coal project
natural decline rate
the base production decline rate of an oil or gas field without intervention to enhance production.
natural gas liquids
the liquid or liquefied hydrocarbons produced in the manufacture, purification and stabilisation of natural gas. These are those portions of natural gas which are recovered as liquids in separators, field facilities, or gas processing plants. NGLs include but are not limited to ethane, propane, butane, pentane, natural gasoline and condensates.
non-binding target
allows a country to sell allowances if its emissions are below the target, but does not oblige it to buy allowances if emissions are above.
non-energy use
fuels used for chemical feedstocks and non-energy products. Examples of non-energy products include lubricants, paraffin waxes, coal tars, and oils used as timber preservatives.
nuclear
the primary heat equivalent of the electricity produced by a nuclear plant with an average thermal efficiency of 33%.