This glossary explains operational, regulatory, payments, fuel, foodservice, and emerging mobility acronyms used across the Consumer & Retail sector. It helps executives, operators, suppliers, and advisors navigate terminology central to the Convenience Stores & Fuel Retail Practice, from underground storage and forecourt systems to merchandising compliance and electric-vehicle charging.
A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Z
| A | |
| ABC | Alcoholic Beverage Control: The regulatory system or state authority responsible for licensing and enforcing alcohol sales rules, including permitted hours, age verification, and retailer conduct. |
| AFC | Alternative Fuel Corridor: A highway corridor designated for infrastructure supporting electricity, hydrogen, propane, or natural gas, influencing where retailers invest in new fueling and charging services. |
| AFD | Automated Fuel Dispenser: A fuel dispenser that accepts payment without cashier assistance; card networks apply distinct transaction, security, and merchant-category rules to these devices. |
| AFDC | Alternative Fuels Data Center: A U.S. Department of Energy resource providing station locations, laws, incentives, vehicle data, and technical information for alternative fuels and charging infrastructure. |
| AFIR | Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation: European Union requirements governing the deployment, availability, payment accessibility, and customer information associated with public charging and alternative-fuel infrastructure. |
| AFV | Alternative Fuel Vehicle: A vehicle powered partly or entirely by electricity, hydrogen, natural gas, propane, biofuel, or another alternative to conventional gasoline and diesel. |
| AKI | Antiknock Index: The retail gasoline octane rating displayed on U.S. dispensers, calculated as the average of research and motor octane numbers. |
| ALLD | Automatic Line Leak Detector: A device that monitors pressurized underground fuel piping and restricts or signals product flow when a leak above a specified threshold is detected. |
| API | American Petroleum Institute: A petroleum industry organization that develops technical standards, equipment practices, product specifications, and safety guidance used throughout fuel distribution and retailing. |
| AST | Aboveground Storage Tank: A tank located primarily above the ground surface and used to store petroleum products, subject to fire-code, spill-prevention, siting, and inspection requirements. |
| ASTM | ASTM International: A standards organization whose fuel specifications and test methods support product quality, regulatory compliance, custody transfer, and equipment compatibility. |
| ASTM D4814 | Standard Specification for Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel: The principal U.S. specification for gasoline properties such as volatility, distillation, sulfur, and performance across seasons and geographic regions. |
| ASTM D975 | Standard Specification for Diesel Fuel: A widely used specification establishing grades and quality requirements for diesel fuel, including sulfur, lubricity, viscosity, and low-temperature properties. |
| ATG | Automatic Tank Gauging: Electronic measurement of underground tank inventory, water level, temperature, and leak-test data for inventory control and regulatory release detection. |
| B | |
| B100 | 100% Biodiesel Blend Designation: The designation for essentially neat biodiesel, which is commonly blended with petroleum diesel and requires compatible storage and dispensing equipment. |
| B20 | 20% Biodiesel Blend Designation: A diesel blend containing approximately 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel, requiring attention to labeling, fuel quality, and equipment compatibility. |
| B5 | 5% Biodiesel Blend Designation: A diesel blend containing up to approximately 5% biodiesel, generally handled within conventional diesel specifications and infrastructure. |
| BEV | Battery Electric Vehicle: A vehicle powered solely by rechargeable batteries, creating demand for public charging as fuel retailers adapt forecourts and customer dwell-time models. |
| BOL | Bill of Lading: The shipping document accompanying a fuel delivery and recording product type, volume, origin, destination, and other information used for receiving and reconciliation. |
| BTEX | Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes: Petroleum-related volatile compounds commonly tested during investigation and remediation of releases from tanks, piping, or dispensers. |
| BTU | British Thermal Unit: A measure of energy content used to compare gasoline, diesel, natural gas, propane, and other fuels on a consistent basis. |
| C | |
| CARB | California Air Resources Board: The state regulator responsible for fuel specifications, vapor-recovery certification, carbon-intensity programs, and air-quality rules that often influence equipment and practices beyond California. |
| CCS | Combined Charging System: An electric-vehicle connector system supporting alternating-current and direct-current charging, widely deployed at public fast-charging locations. |
| CFR | Code of Federal Regulations: The codification of U.S. federal rules governing areas such as underground tanks, air emissions, workplace safety, food benefits, and fuel labeling. |
| CI | Carbon Intensity: A lifecycle measure of greenhouse-gas emissions per unit of fuel energy used to determine compliance obligations and credits under low-carbon fuel programs. |
| CITLD | Continuous In-Tank Leak Detection: A release-detection method that continuously analyzes tank inventory data to identify losses while accommodating normal deliveries and dispensing activity. |
| CNG | Compressed Natural Gas: Natural gas stored at high pressure for vehicle fueling, requiring dedicated compression, storage, metering, and safety systems. |
| COCO | Company-Owned, Company-Operated: A site model in which the fuel brand or retail company owns the location and directly manages its operations, employees, pricing, and merchandising. |
| CODO | Company-Owned, Dealer-Operated: A site model in which the company owns the property or assets while an independent dealer operates the retail business under contractual terms. |
| CPG | Cents per Gallon: A common unit for measuring retail fuel margin, taxes, fees, rebates, or price differences on each gallon sold. |
| CPL | Cents per Liter: A common unit outside gallon-based markets for expressing fuel margin, tax, discounts, and retail price differences. |
| CPO | Charge Point Operator: An entity that owns or operates electric-vehicle charging stations and manages their availability, maintenance, pricing, and connection to charging networks. |
| CRIND | Card Reader in Dispenser: A forecourt payment terminal integrated into a fuel dispenser, particularly associated with Gilbarco equipment and pay-at-pump transactions. |
| CSLD | Continuous Statistical Leak Detection: A tank-monitoring method that applies statistical analysis to inventory data to detect potential losses without taking the tank out of service. |
| CSMS | Charging Station Management System: Software that remotely monitors chargers, manages tariffs and access, processes operational data, and coordinates maintenance and network connectivity. |
| D | |
| DCFC | Direct Current Fast Charging: High-power charging that supplies direct current to a vehicle battery, enabling shorter charging sessions but requiring substantial electrical capacity and capital investment. |
| DEF | Diesel Exhaust Fluid: A high-purity aqueous urea solution used by diesel emissions-control systems and sold in packaged or dispenser formats at many fuel locations. |
| DGE | Diesel Gallon Equivalent: The quantity of an alternative fuel containing approximately the same energy as one gallon of diesel, used for pricing and volume comparison. |
| DODO | Dealer-Owned, Dealer-Operated: A site model in which an independent dealer owns and operates the location, often under a fuel supply or brand agreement. |
| DTW | Dealer Tank Wagon: A wholesale fuel price for product delivered to a dealer’s station, commonly used in branded supply agreements and margin analysis. |
| DUKPT | Derived Unique Key Per Transaction: A payment-encryption method that generates a distinct key for each transaction, limiting exposure if a payment device or key is compromised. |
| E | |
| E0 | Ethanol-Free Gasoline: Gasoline formulated without ethanol, often marketed for boats, small engines, classic vehicles, and customers seeking alcohol-free fuel. |
| E10 | Gasoline Containing up to 10% Ethanol: The predominant gasoline-ethanol blend in the United States and one generally approved for conventional gasoline vehicles. |
| E15 | Gasoline Containing up to 15% Ethanol: A higher-ethanol gasoline blend subject to vehicle-compatibility, labeling, equipment, and seasonal regulatory requirements. |
| E85 | High-Ethanol Flex Fuel: A seasonal blend containing approximately 51% to 83% ethanol for compatible flexible-fuel vehicles, requiring dedicated labeling and approved equipment. |
| EBT | Electronic Benefits Transfer: The electronic system used to deliver government food and cash benefits through payment cards accepted by authorized retailers. |
| EFT | Electronic Funds Transfer: The electronic movement of money used for card settlement, automated clearing, vendor payments, and fleet-account transactions. |
| EIA | Energy Information Administration: The U.S. government statistical agency that publishes fuel prices, inventories, supply, demand, and regional market data used in planning and benchmarking. |
| EISA | Energy Independence and Security Act: The 2007 U.S. law that expanded renewable-fuel requirements and continues to influence ethanol, biodiesel, and credit markets. |
| EMA | Energy Marketers of America: A U.S. trade association representing fuel distributors and retailers on motor-fuel, environmental, tax, transportation, and small-business policy. |
| eMSP | e-Mobility Service Provider: A company that gives drivers access to charging networks through an application, account, subscription, roaming arrangement, or payment service. |
| EMV | Europay, Mastercard, and Visa: The global chip-payment standard used to authenticate card transactions and reduce counterfeit fraud at the register and fuel dispenser. |
| ENDS | Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems: The regulatory category covering products such as e-cigarettes and vape devices, with retailer obligations concerning age verification, product authorization, and marketing. |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency: The U.S. regulator overseeing underground tanks, fuel composition, renewable fuels, air emissions, spill prevention, and petroleum-release remediation. |
| EPAct | Energy Policy Act: U.S. energy legislation whose 2005 provisions strengthened underground-tank compliance through operator training, inspections, and delivery-prohibition requirements. |
| EV | Electric Vehicle: A vehicle propelled partly or entirely by electric power, central to decisions about charging investment, site design, dwell time, and future fuel demand. |
| EVR | Enhanced Vapor Recovery: A California certification framework for gasoline vapor-control equipment, including components used during fuel delivery and vehicle refueling. |
| EVSE | Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment: The hardware and associated controls that safely deliver electrical energy from a power source to an electric vehicle. |
| F | |
| FAME | Fatty Acid Methyl Ester: The chemical form of conventional biodiesel, whose concentration and properties affect diesel blending, storage stability, cold-flow behavior, and material compatibility. |
| FCC | Forecourt Controller: The system that coordinates dispensers, tank gauges, price signs, payment devices, and the point of sale across the fueling forecourt. |
| FDA | Food and Drug Administration: The U.S. regulator responsible for food safety and tobacco-product requirements that affect prepared-food operations and age-restricted merchandise. |
| FEFO | First Expired, First Out: An inventory-rotation method that sells products with the earliest expiration dates first, reducing waste and food-safety risk. |
| FHWA | Federal Highway Administration: The U.S. agency involved in highway policy, interstate signage, alternative-fuel corridor designations, and federally funded charging deployment. |
| FIFO | First In, First Out: An inventory method that prioritizes selling older stock before newer receipts, supporting freshness and reducing obsolescence. |
| FNS | Food and Nutrition Service: The U.S. Department of Agriculture agency that authorizes retailers and administers federal nutrition-assistance programs. |
| FRP | Fiberglass-Reinforced Plastic: A corrosion-resistant composite material used in underground tanks, piping, sumps, and other petroleum-system components. |
| FTC | Federal Trade Commission: The U.S. agency that administers fuel-rating and octane-posting requirements and enforces competition and consumer-protection rules affecting retailers. |
| G | |
| GDF | Gasoline Dispensing Facility: The regulatory term for a site that transfers gasoline into vehicle fuel tanks, especially in federal and state vapor-emission requirements. |
| GGE | Gasoline Gallon Equivalent: The amount of an alternative fuel with approximately the same energy content as one gallon of gasoline, enabling comparable pricing and reporting. |
| GHG | Greenhouse Gas: A heat-trapping atmospheric gas measured in lifecycle fuel programs, emissions reporting, and decarbonization planning. |
| GPD | Gallons per Day: A site-throughput measure used to compare fuel demand, tank turnover, delivery frequency, and location productivity. |
| GPM | Gallons per Minute: A measure of dispenser flow rate used to evaluate customer fueling time, filter condition, equipment performance, and regulatory compliance. |
| GPT | Gallons per Transaction: An operating metric showing average fuel volume per customer transaction, useful for forecasting throughput and analyzing customer mix. |
| H | |
| HACCP | Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points: A preventive food-safety system that identifies biological, chemical, and physical hazards and establishes controls for prepared-food operations. |
| HazCom | Hazard Communication Standard: U.S. workplace requirements for chemical labeling, safety data sheets, employee information, and training concerning hazardous products. |
| HAZWOPER | Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response: U.S. worker-protection requirements applying to specified hazardous-waste cleanup and emergency-response activities, including some petroleum-release remediation work. |
| HSE | Health, Safety, and Environment: The management discipline covering worker protection, spill prevention, environmental compliance, emergency readiness, and safe site operations. |
| HVO | Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil: A paraffinic renewable diesel produced by hydrotreating fats and oils, generally suitable as a drop-in fuel when it meets applicable specifications. |
| I | |
| ICE | Internal Combustion Engine: An engine that burns gasoline, diesel, or another fuel internally, representing the conventional vehicle base against which charging demand is assessed. |
| ICR | Island Card Reader: A payment terminal located at a fuel island that authorizes transactions without requiring customers to enter the store. |
| IFC | International Fire Code: A model code adopted or adapted by many jurisdictions to regulate fuel storage, dispensing, emergency controls, hazardous materials, and fire access. |
| IFTA | International Fuel Tax Agreement: A cooperative system through which commercial motor carriers report and allocate fuel taxes across participating U.S. states and Canadian provinces. |
| ISD | In-Station Diagnostics: Automated monitoring that evaluates vapor-recovery system performance and alerts operators to faults requiring investigation or repair. |
| ISO 15118 | Road Vehicles — Vehicle-to-Grid Communication Interface: An international standard series for communication between electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, including automated identification and Plug & Charge functionality. |
| ISO 22241 | Diesel Engines — NOx Reduction Agent AUS 32: An international standard series defining quality, handling, storage, testing, and equipment requirements for diesel exhaust fluid. |
| K | |
| kWh | Kilowatt-Hour: The standard unit of electrical energy used to meter charging consumption, calculate tariffs, and compare charger utilization and operating cost. |
| L | |
| LCFS | Low Carbon Fuel Standard: A market-based program that requires reductions in transportation-fuel carbon intensity and creates credits or deficits for regulated fuel suppliers. |
| LEL | Lower Explosive Limit: The lowest concentration of a flammable vapor in air that can ignite, important for confined-space work, spill response, and vapor monitoring. |
| LLD | Line Leak Detector: A device or monitoring function designed to identify fuel leakage from pressurized underground piping. |
| LNG | Liquefied Natural Gas: Natural gas cooled into liquid form for high-density storage and vehicle fueling, particularly in heavy-duty transport applications. |
| LPG | Liquefied Petroleum Gas: A pressurized hydrocarbon fuel, commonly propane, sold for vehicles, cylinders, heating, cooking, and other customer uses. |
| LPM | Liters per Minute: A metric measure of dispenser flow rate used to assess equipment performance and customer fueling time. |
| LPT | Liters per Transaction: A metric-market measure of average fuel volume sold per transaction, supporting demand and customer-mix analysis. |
| LUST | Leaking Underground Storage Tank: An underground petroleum system with a confirmed release, triggering reporting, investigation, remediation, and financial-responsibility obligations. |
| M | |
| MCC | Merchant Category Code: A card-network classification used to identify a merchant’s business type; attended service stations and automated fuel dispensers commonly use different codes. |
| MON | Motor Octane Number: A laboratory measure of gasoline knock resistance under relatively severe operating conditions and one component of the posted U.S. octane rating. |
| MPD | Multi-Product Dispenser: A fueling unit that delivers multiple grades or products through one cabinet, often with shared payment and display components. |
| MPE | Maximum Permissible Error: The largest legally allowable measurement deviation for a dispenser or meter during weights-and-measures testing. |
| MSA | Master Settlement Agreement: The U.S. tobacco settlement that shapes state product directories, manufacturer requirements, and retailer controls over which cigarette brands may legally be sold. |
| MSDS | Material Safety Data Sheet: The legacy name for a document describing chemical hazards, handling, storage, and emergency measures, now generally replaced by the standardized safety data sheet. |
| MTBE | Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether: A gasoline oxygenate historically used to improve combustion but associated with groundwater contamination and restrictions in many jurisdictions. |
| N | |
| NACS | National Association of Convenience Stores: The trade association now branded as the Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing, providing research, standards advocacy, education, and industry events. |
| NACS | North American Charging Standard: The electric-vehicle charging connector developed by Tesla and increasingly adopted by automakers, charging networks, and fuel retailers in North America. |
| NAICS | North American Industry Classification System: The statistical classification framework used to categorize convenience retailers, fuel dealers, and related establishments for economic, tax, and market analysis. |
| NASPL | North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries: An association representing government lotteries whose games, operating standards, and retailer programs are significant to many convenience locations. |
| NCWM | National Conference on Weights and Measures: A U.S. standards body that develops model laws, regulations, and specifications for commercial measuring devices, fuel quality, and price verification. |
| NESHAP | National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Federal air rules that establish vapor-control and operating requirements for covered gasoline dispensing facilities based partly on throughput. |
| NEVI | National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program: A U.S. federal funding program supporting public fast-charging deployment along designated highway corridors and in approved state plans. |
| NFC | Near-Field Communication: Short-range wireless technology used for contactless cards, mobile wallets, loyalty identification, and device-based payments. |
| NFPA | National Fire Protection Association: A standards organization whose codes address flammable liquids, motor-fuel dispensing, electrical systems, fire protection, and emergency controls. |
| NFPA 30 | Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code: A widely adopted code governing the storage, handling, and use of flammable and combustible liquids. |
| NFPA 30A | Code for Motor Fuel Dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages: A core fire-safety code covering dispenser locations, storage systems, emergency disconnects, operating controls, and alternative-fuel facilities. |
| NIST | National Institute of Standards and Technology: The U.S. agency that publishes measurement guidance, including Handbook 44 requirements widely used to inspect and certify commercial fuel dispensers. |
| NTEP | National Type Evaluation Program: A U.S. conformity-assessment program that evaluates commercial weighing and measuring devices before state and local approval. |
| O | |
| OCPI | Open Charge Point Interface: An open protocol that supports roaming, tariff exchange, authorization, location data, and transaction information between electric-mobility service providers and charging operators. |
| OCPP | Open Charge Point Protocol: An open communication standard connecting charging stations with central management systems for monitoring, authorization, pricing, and remote control. |
| OIML | International Organization of Legal Metrology: An intergovernmental organization that develops model requirements for measuring instruments, including fuel dispensers and other commercial meters. |
| OPIS | Oil Price Information Service: A provider of wholesale and retail petroleum pricing benchmarks used in supply contracts, competitive pricing, and margin analysis. |
| OPV | Overfill Prevention Valve: A tank-fill device designed to restrict product flow before an underground tank becomes overfilled during delivery. |
| ORVR | Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery: A vehicle-based system that captures gasoline vapors during refueling, reducing emissions and affecting the need for some station-based vapor controls. |
| OSHA | Occupational Safety and Health Administration: The U.S. agency that establishes and enforces workplace requirements concerning hazardous chemicals, personal protection, electrical safety, and employee training. |
| P | |
| P2PE | Point-to-Point Encryption: A payment-security approach that encrypts cardholder data from the point of interaction to a secure decryption environment. |
| PADD | Petroleum Administration for Defense District: One of five U.S. petroleum-market regions used to report and analyze refining, inventory, supply, transportation, and pricing data. |
| PAN | Primary Account Number: The identifying number on a payment card that must be protected in storage, processing, and transmission. |
| PAP | Pay at Pump: A transaction method allowing customers to authorize and complete fuel payment at the dispenser without entering the store. |
| PCATS | Petroleum Convenience Alliance for Technology Standards: The former name behind widely encountered fuel-retail data and interface specifications now maintained through Conexxus. |
| PCI DSS | Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard: The security framework governing how merchants protect payment-account data across stores, dispensers, networks, applications, and service providers. |
| PCI PTS | Payment Card Industry PIN Transaction Security: Security requirements and device approvals for terminals that capture personal identification numbers and other sensitive payment data. |
| PEI | Petroleum Equipment Institute: A trade association that develops recommended practices and technical resources for installing, inspecting, and maintaining fuel-storage and dispensing equipment. |
| PEI/RP100 | Recommended Practices for Installation of Underground Liquid Storage Systems: Industry guidance for properly installing underground tanks, piping, containment, monitoring, and related components. |
| PEI/RP1200 | Recommended Practices for the Testing and Verification of Spill, Overfill, Leak Detection and Secondary Containment Equipment at Underground Storage Tank Facilities: Technical guidance used to test critical release-prevention and detection components. |
| PEI/RP500 | Recommended Practices for Inspection and Maintenance of Motor Fuel Dispensing Equipment: Industry guidance for routine dispenser inspection, preventive maintenance, safety checks, and documentation. |
| PEI/RP900 | Recommended Practices for the Inspection and Maintenance of Underground Storage Tank Systems: Guidance for maintaining tanks, piping, containment sumps, spill buckets, and release-detection equipment. |
| PHEV | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle: A vehicle combining a rechargeable battery and internal combustion engine, allowing both electric charging and conventional fueling. |
| PIN | Personal Identification Number: A secret numeric credential used to authenticate debit, fleet, and other card transactions at registers and dispensers. |
| PLLD | Pressurized Line Leak Detection: Monitoring used to identify leakage from pressurized product piping, often through automatic detectors and periodic precision testing. |
| PMPA | Petroleum Marketing Practices Act: A U.S. federal law governing the termination and nonrenewal of petroleum franchises and protecting certain rights of branded fuel dealers. |
| POS | Point of Sale: The system that records transactions and integrates pricing, inventory, promotions, loyalty, payments, foodservice, and forecourt control. |
| PPE | Personal Protective Equipment: Clothing and equipment such as gloves, eye protection, and high-visibility garments used to reduce exposure to workplace hazards. |
| PPM | Parts per Million: A concentration unit used in fuel-quality testing, contamination analysis, vapor measurement, and environmental monitoring. |
| PSD2 | Second Payment Services Directive: European Union payment legislation governing authentication, payment-service access, consumer protection, and electronic transactions, including some unattended and mobile payments. |
| PSI | Pounds per Square Inch: A pressure unit used for fuel piping, pumps, filters, compressed-gas systems, and equipment testing. |
| PST | Petroleum Storage Tank: A regulatory term used in some jurisdictions for aboveground or underground tanks storing petroleum products. |
| Q | |
| QIR | Qualified Integrator or Reseller: A payment-industry-recognized installer trained to implement validated payment applications and systems securely for merchants. |
| QSA | Qualified Security Assessor: An independent professional authorized to assess an organization’s compliance with payment-card data security requirements. |
| QSR | Quick-Service Restaurant: A fast-service food format that may operate within a store as a proprietary offer, licensed brand, or co-located restaurant. |
| R | |
| RBCA | Risk-Based Corrective Action: A framework for prioritizing petroleum-release investigation and remediation according to contaminant exposure pathways and risks to people and the environment. |
| RBOB | Reformulated Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending: A wholesale gasoline blendstock intended for final blending with ethanol and commonly referenced in supply contracts and commodity markets. |
| RFG | Reformulated Gasoline: Gasoline formulated to reduce smog-forming and toxic emissions in designated air-quality areas, with specific composition and handling requirements. |
| RFID | Radio-Frequency Identification: Wireless identification technology used in fleet-fueling tags, access control, inventory tracking, and some loyalty applications. |
| RFS | Renewable Fuel Standard: The U.S. program requiring specified volumes of renewable fuel in the transportation-fuel supply and creating tradable compliance credits. |
| RIN | Renewable Identification Number: A serial compliance credit generated with qualifying renewable fuel and traded to satisfy renewable-fuel obligations. |
| RNG | Renewable Natural Gas: Pipeline-quality gas derived from biogenic sources and used as a lower-carbon substitute for fossil natural gas in vehicle fueling. |
| RON | Research Octane Number: A laboratory measure of gasoline knock resistance under relatively mild conditions and the principal pump octane rating in many countries. |
| RUG | Regular Unleaded Gasoline: The standard regular-grade gasoline product that typically accounts for the largest share of retail gasoline volume. |
| RVP | Reid Vapor Pressure: A standardized measure of gasoline volatility that affects seasonal specifications, emissions compliance, inventory transitions, and supply logistics. |
| S | |
| SAE | Society of Automotive Engineers: The organization now known as SAE International, which develops vehicle, fuel, connector, and charging standards used across mobility infrastructure. |
| SAE J1772 | Electric Vehicle and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Conductive Charge Coupler: A North American standard defining conductive charging connections and communications, especially for alternating-current charging. |
| SAE J3400 | North American Charging System: The standardized form of the connector originally developed by Tesla, supporting alternating-current and direct-current charging. |
| SCA | Strong Customer Authentication: A European payment requirement using at least two independent authentication elements, subject to specified exemptions for certain transactions and terminals. |
| SDS | Safety Data Sheet: A standardized document describing a chemical product’s hazards, safe handling, storage, exposure controls, and emergency-response measures. |
| SIGMA | Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America: The original name of the association now branded as SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers, representing larger fuel distributors and convenience retailers. |
| SIR | Statistical Inventory Reconciliation: A release-detection method that analyzes fuel deliveries, sales, and tank measurements to identify statistically significant inventory losses. |
| SNAP | Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: The U.S. food-benefit program whose authorized retailers must follow eligibility, transaction, signage, and recordkeeping rules. |
| SOC | State of Charge: The percentage of usable energy remaining in an electric-vehicle battery, influencing charging duration, power delivery, and driver behavior. |
| SPCC | Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure: A U.S. federal program requiring qualifying facilities with aboveground oil storage to maintain plans and controls intended to prevent discharges to navigable waters. |
| STI/SPFA | Steel Tank Institute/Steel Plate Fabricators Association: An industry association that develops standards, certifications, and inspection programs for steel storage tanks and related equipment. |
| STP | Submersible Turbine Pump: A pump installed inside a storage tank that pressurizes product piping and delivers fuel to dispensers. |
| SWPPP | Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan: A site-specific plan identifying stormwater risks, controls, inspections, and response procedures required under applicable permits. |
| T | |
| T21 | Tobacco 21: The U.S. legal framework establishing 21 as the minimum age for retail sales of tobacco products, including electronic nicotine products. |
| TAN | Total Acid Number: A laboratory measure of acidic constituents in petroleum products and biofuels that can indicate degradation or corrosion risk. |
| TPH | Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons: A broad analytical measure used to assess petroleum contamination in soil, groundwater, and other environmental media. |
| TTT | Tank Tightness Testing: A precision testing method used to determine whether a storage tank is leaking within defined performance thresholds. |
| U | |
| UDC | Under-Dispenser Containment: Liquid-tight secondary containment installed beneath a dispenser to capture releases and permit monitoring of fittings and piping connections. |
| UL | Underwriters Laboratories: The safety-certification organization now operating as UL Solutions, whose listings and standards are widely required for fuel and electrical equipment. |
| UL 2085 | Protected Aboveground Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids: A safety standard for aboveground tanks incorporating fire resistance, impact protection, and secondary containment. |
| UL 87 | Power-Operated Dispensing Devices for Petroleum Products: A core safety standard for fuel-dispensing equipment addressing construction, performance, electrical, and fire hazards. |
| ULSD | Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel: Highway diesel fuel limited to very low sulfur content to support modern emissions-control systems and regulatory compliance. |
| UST | Underground Storage Tank: A tank system with at least 10% of its combined volume underground, subject to release prevention, detection, inspection, operator-training, and financial-responsibility rules. |
| V | |
| VLLD | Volumetric Line Leak Detection: A precision test that measures changes in product volume or pressure to identify small leaks in underground fuel piping. |
| VMT | Vehicle Miles Traveled: A transportation-demand measure used to forecast fuel consumption, charging needs, traffic patterns, and long-term site potential. |
| VOC | Volatile Organic Compound: An organic chemical that readily evaporates and contributes to air pollution, making vapor control and spill prevention important at gasoline facilities. |
| W | |
| W&M | Weights and Measures: The regulatory function that inspects fuel dispensers for measurement accuracy, unit pricing, labeling, sealing, and commercial-device compliance. |
| WIC | Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children: A U.S. nutrition program with approved-product, retailer authorization, transaction-processing, inventory, and compliance requirements. |
| Z | |
| ZEV | Zero-Emission Vehicle: A vehicle producing no direct exhaust emissions, a regulatory and planning category that includes battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. |