Powering the Future

Powering the Future

Despite modern society’s heavy dependence on fossil fuels for energy, most people are aware that the　supply of these fuels is finite. As oil, in particular, becomes more costly and difficult to find, researchers are looking at alternative energy sources, including solar, wind, and even nuclear power. But which 　ubstitute---if any---is the right one?

為將來提供動力

儘管能量的現代社會的大量的對礦物燃料的依靠，大多數人意識到這些燃料的供應是有限的。 作為油，尤其，變得更代價高昂並且難被發現，研究人員正看代用能源，包括太陽，風甚至核能。 但是-如果有的話-代替是正確的一個嗎？

Solar

Solar panels catch energy directly from the sun and convert it into electricity. One of the world’s largest solar power stations is located near Leipzig, Germany, where more than 33,000 solar panels generate enough energy to power about 1,800 homes. But unlike the burning of fossil fuels, the process used to create all that solar energy produces no emissions.

Today, however, solar provides less than one percent of the world’s energy, primarily because the cost of the panels is still very high. And price is only one issue. Clouds and darkness also cause solar panels to produce less energy, which requires one to have additional power sources (such as batteries) available.

Some scientists think the solution to this problem can be found in space---which they say is the ideal　place to gather energy from the sun. With no clouds and no nighttime, a space-based solar power station could operate constantly. These stations would send the power back to Earth, which could then be　turned into electricity for consumption.

Advocates of solar space stations say this technology would require a lot of money initially, but eventually it could provide continuous, clean energy that would be cheeper than other fuels. Also, unlike other energy sources, solar power from space will last as long as the sun shines, and will be able to guarantee everyone on Earth all the energy they need.

太陽

太陽電池板從太陽直接抓住能量並且把它轉變成電。 世界的最大的太陽能電站之一位於德國，來比錫的附近，在那裡超過33,000太陽電池板到動力產生足夠的能量大約1,800個家。 與礦物燃料的燃燒不同，過程習慣於創造所有那些太陽能生產不排放物。

今天，不過，太陽1 ％的世界能源，主要，因為費用的那些小組仍然高。 並且價格只是一個問題。 雲和黑暗也引起太陽電池板生產較少的能量，這要求有另外的電源(例如電池)  可提供。

一些科學家認為這個解決這個問題的方法可能被在太空內發現---他們說哪個是從太陽聚集能量的理想的地方。 沒有雲和沒有夜間，一個基於太空的太陽能電站能經常經營。 這些車站將把能力回寄給地球，這消耗然後能被變成電。

太陽空間站的倡導者說這技術將要求許多錢最初，最終，能提供連續，乾淨的能源將比其他燃料更便宜。 此外，與其他能源不同，只要太陽發亮，並且能在地球上保證每個人，來自太空的太陽能將持續他們需要的全部能量。

Wind

Wind---the fastest-growing alternative energy source---is another way of collecting energy from the sun. Unlike solar power, however, it works well on cloudy days.

All over Europe, incentives designed to decrease the dependence on oil and coal have led to a steep increase in wind-powered energy. Today, Europe leads the world in wind power, with almost 35,000 megawatts, the equivalent of 35 large coal-powered plants. North America remains a distant second, with just over 7,000 megawatts.

Despite its successes, some oppose wind-power development, saying the turbines are both noisy and ugly. Just outside England’s Lake District, a protected national park, 27 wind towers are planned, each about 40 meters (130 feet) tall. Many locals are protesting. “This is a high-quality landscape,” says one local home owner. “They shouldn’t be putting those things in here.”

There are other challenges too. If the wind doesn’t blow, the turbines don’t have the capacity to produce sufficient energy. As a result, other power sources are needs. In contrast, a strong wind can create too much power. In cases like this, the energy company must sell the extra power at a much-reduced rate, which is not good for business.

What’s needed for both wind and solar is a way to store a large energy surplus so that it can later be truned into electricity. However, most systems are still decades away from making this a reality. On the plus side, both wind and solar enable people to generate their own energy where they live: people can have their own windmills or solar panels, with batteries for calm days.

風

風---這增長最快其它能源-另一條路收集太陽中的能源。 與太陽能不同，不過，它在陰天上正常工作。

遍及歐洲，用於減少對石油和煤的依靠的獎勵已經導致風力能量的陡增加。 今天，歐洲在風力裡領導世界，帶有將近35,000兆瓦，相當於35棵大的燃煤植物。 北美洲一遠的秒保持，帶有僅僅超過7,000兆瓦。

儘管它的成功，一些反對風力發展，說渦輪機既嘈雜又醜陋。 只在英國的湖區外邊，一個保護的國家公園，27座風塔被設計大約40米(130英尺)的每一個 高。 很多當地人正抗議。 他的是一個優質的風景，一位本地屋主說。 嘿，不應該在這裡放那些東西。

也有其他挑戰。 如果風不吹，渦輪機沒有能力生產足夠的能量。 因此，其他電源是需要。 相反，大風能建立太多能力。 在象這樣的案件，能源公司必須出售額外權力在一非常降低比率，不有益於生意。

適合風什麼需要和太陽在方法儲存大能源過剩能過後在對電的truned。 但是，大多數系統仍然是在離開使這為一個現實幾十年。 關於這正邊，兩個風和太陽他們在那裡住的自己能源︰人們能有他們自己的風車或者太陽電池板，帶有平靜的天的電池。

Nuclear

In the 1970s, nuclear was the energy alternative. Nuclear power produces vast amounts of electricity more cheaply than gas or coal, with no carbon emissions. For a number of years in the 198s and ‘90s, however, use of nuclear power declined due to accidents, concerns about nuclear waste storage and disposal, and high construction costs.

Today, though, times are changing. Worldwide about 440 plants now generate 16 percent of the planet’s electric power, and some countries have invested heavily in nuclear energy. France, for instance, gets 78 percent of its electricity from nuclear power. China has started to build one or two new plants a year, and Japan and India have also begun to utilize nuclear energy on a large scale. Though there are still concerns about the safety of nuclear power, many now believe it may be one of the future’s greenest energy alternatives.

In the end, are any of these sources alone the answer to our current energy problems? The short answer is no, but used in some combination---along with other power source---we may find ways to reduce and eventually eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels.

核

在20世紀70年代，核的是其它能量。 核能生產大量電比氣體或者煤更便宜，沒有碳排放物。 在198 s 和0 s的許多年以來，不過，由於事故，核能的使用下降，關心核廢物貯存和處理，並且高的建設花費。

今天，不過，時代正改變。 全世界的大約440棵植物現下產生行星的電力的16％，並且一些國家已經大量投資核能。 法蘭西，例如，從核能得到它的電的78％。 中國已經開始建造一兩座新工廠一年，並且日本和印度也已經開始大規模利用核能。 雖然仍然有關心安全核能，很多現下相信它可能是這將來之一能源選擇。

最後，任何來源是單獨在一起的我們的當今的精力問題的答案嗎？ 短的答案不是，但是用於一些結合---跟其他電源一起---我們可能發現方法降低並且最終消除我們的對礦物燃料的依靠。