Can 100% renewable energy power the world? - Federico Rosei and Renzo Rosei

譯者: Hui chu Chen 審譯者: Marssi Draw

Every year, the world uses 35 billion barrels of oil.

每年，全世界使用 350 億桶石油

This massive scale of fossil fuel dependence pollutes the Earth

大規模的依賴化石燃料污染了地球

and it won't last forever.

且石油不會永久存在

Scientists estimate that we've consumed about 40% of the world's oil.

科學家估計我們已經消耗 約世界石油的 40%

According to present estimates,

據目前估計

at this rate, we'll run out of oil and gas in 50 years or so,

照這個速度，我們將在 50 年 左右用完石油及天然氣

and in about a century for coal.

煤炭也將在一個世紀內用盡

On the flip side, we have abundant sun, water, and wind.

另一方面 我們有豐富的陽光、水和風

These are renewable energy sources,

這些都是可再生能源

meaning that we won't use them up over time.

這意味隨著時間的推移將不會被用盡

What if we could exchange our fossil fuel dependence

如果我們對石油燃料的依賴

for an existence based solely on renewables?

能換成完全依靠可再生能源 會怎麼樣呢？

We've pondered that question for decades,

我們幾十年來一直在思考這個問題

and yet, renewable energy still only provides about 13% of our needs.

而可再生能源只提供了 我們約 13％ 的需求

That's because reaching 100% requires renewable energy that's inexpensive

如果要達到百分之百的使用率 需要價格更便宜的可再生能源

and accessible.

並舉手可得

This represents a huge challenge,

這是一個巨大的挑戰

even if we ignore the politics involved and focus on the science and engineering.

即使忽略政策的參與 只著重在科學與工程

We can better understand the problem by understanding how we use energy.

我們可以更好地理解這個問題 透過了解我們如何使用能源

Global energy use is a diverse and complex system,

全球能源使用是一個 多元化和複雜的系統

and the different elements require their own solutions.

不同的元素更需要獨特的解決方案

But for now, we'll focus on two of the most familiar in everyday life:

但現在，我們將重點放在兩個 在日常生活中最熟悉的

electricity and liquid fuels.

電力和液體燃料

Electricity powers blast furnaces, elevators, computers,

電力提供高爐、電梯、電腦

and all manner of things in homes, businesses, and manufacturing.

以及家中、大企業 和製造業中的所有事物

Meanwhile, liquid fuels play a crucial role

同時，液體燃料有著至關重要的作用

in almost all forms of transportation.

運用在幾乎所有的運輸產業上

Let's consider the electrical portion first.

我們來考慮一下電的部分

The great news is that our technology is already advanced enough

好消息是我們的技術相當先進

to capture all that energy from renewables,

可從可再生能源中獲取所有能量

and there's an ample supply.

而且非常充足

The sun continuously radiates

太陽不斷散發

about 173 quadrillion watts of solar energy at the Earth,

大約 173 千兆瓦特太陽能在地球上

which is almost 10,000 times our present needs.

比我們目前需求多近一萬倍

It's been estimated that a surface that spans several hundred thousand kilometers

據估計，需建造一個 跨越數十萬公里的太陽能板

would be needed to power humanity at our present usage levels.

才能為人類提供更多能量 以供給我們目前的使用水平

So why don't we build that?

那麼為什麼我們不建立呢？

Because there are other hurdles in the way,

因為還有其他的的障礙

like efficiency

像效率

and energy transportation.

和能源運輸

To maximize efficiency,

為了達到最佳的效率

solar plants must be located in areas with lots of sunshine year round,

太陽能發電廠必須設 在一年四季陽光充足之地

like deserts.

像沙漠

But those are far away from densely populated regions

但是那離人口稠密的地區很遠

where energy demand is high.

能源需求量很大的地方

There are other forms of renewable energy we could draw from,

我們還有其他形式的可再生能源

such as hydroelectric,

如水電

geothermal,

地熱

and biomasses,

和生質

but they also have limits based on availability and location.

但他們的可用性 及地理位置也有其限制

In principle, a connected electrical energy network

原則上，電能源網路接上

with power lines crisscrossing the globe

線路縱橫交錯的全球電力

would enable us to transport power from where it's generated

將使我們能夠從發電場將電力運輸

to where it's needed.

到需要的地方

But building a system on this scale faces an astronomical price tag.

但建立這個規模的系統 面臨著天文數字的價格

We could lower the cost by developing advanced technologies

我們可以透過開發高技術以降低成本

to capture energy more efficiently.

更有效地存取能量

The infrastructure for transporting energy would also have to change drastically.

運輸能源的基礎設施 也將不得不大幅改變

Present-day power lines lose about 6-8% of the energy they carry

目前電線損失約 6-8％ 所攜帶的能量

because wire material dissipates energy through resistance.

因為線材抗阻並消耗能量

Longer power lines would mean more energy loss.

更長的電力線將意味著 更多的能量損失

Superconductors could be one solution.

超導體可以是一個解決方案

Such materials can transport electricity without dissipation.

這種材料可以運輸電力且不會流失

Unfortunately, they only work if cooled to low temperatures,

不幸的是，他們只能在低溫下運作

which requires energy and defeats the purpose.

這需要能量維持 反而取代了原本的目的

To benefit from that technology,

為了從這項技術中受益

we'd need to discover new superconducting materials

我們需要發現新的超導材料

that operate at room temperature.

在室溫下運行

And what about the all-important, oil-derived liquid fuels?

那麼最重要的 石油衍生液體燃料呢？

The scientific challenge there is to store renewable energy

科學上的挑戰就是如何儲存再生能源

in an easily transportable form.

及便於運輸的形式

Recently, we've gotten better at producing lithium ion batteries,

最近，我們在生產鋰離子電池上 變得更進一步

which are lightweight and have high-energy density.

達到輕量並具有高能量密度

But even the best of these store about 2.5 megajoules per kilogram.

但即使是最好的這些 每公斤儲存約 250 萬焦耳

That's about 20 times less than the energy in one kilogram of gasoline.

比一公斤汽油產生的能量少了 20 倍

To be truly competitive, car batteries would have to store much more energy

車用電池將不得不儲存 更多的能量來提高競爭力

without adding cost.

且不增加成本

The challenges only increase for bigger vessels, like ships and planes.

挑戰只會隨著載具增大 如船隻和飛機

To power a cross-Atlantic flight for a jet,

提供飛越大西洋的一架飛機的能量

we'd need a battery weighing about 1,000 tons.

我們需要稱重約千噸的電池

This, too, demands a technological leap towards new materials,

同樣也需要發展更高科技材料

higher energy density,

更高的能量密度

and better storage.

和更好的儲存

One promising solution would be to find efficient ways

最有希望的解決方案 是找到有效的方法

to convert solar into chemical energy.

把太陽能轉換成化學能

This is already happening in labs,

這已經過實驗

but the efficiency is still too low to allow it to reach the market.

但效率還是太低無法投入市場

To find novel solutions, we'll need lots of creativity,

要找到新的解決方案 我們需要很多創意

innovation,

革新

and powerful incentives.

和更多獎勵

The transition towards all-renewable energies is a complex problem

轉換全面為可再生能源 是一個複雜的問題

involving technology, economics, and politics.

涉及技術、經濟和政治

Priorities on how to tackle this challenge depend on the specific assumptions

如何決定應對這挑戰的優先事項 取決於嘗試解決這個多方面的問題時

we have to make when trying to solve such a multifaceted problem.

我們必須做出的具體假設

But there's ample reason to be optimistic that we'll get there.

充滿前瞻保持樂觀總會到達目標

Top scientific minds around the world are working on these problems

世界頂尖的科學首腦正在研究這些問題

and making breakthroughs all the time.

並不斷突破創新

And many governments and businesses are investing in technologies

還有許多政府和企業正在投資技術

that harness the energy all around us.

利用我們周圍的能量