What does the world's largest machine do? - Henry Richardson

譯者: 穎君 紀 審譯者: Helen Chang

On February 7th, 1967, Homer Loutzenheuser flipped a switch in Nebraska

1967 年 2 月 7 日，荷馬·盧岑海斯 在內布拉斯加州撥動了一個開關，

and realized a dream more than five decades in the making.

並發現那個做了超過 五十年的夢正在實現。

The power grids of the United States joined together,

全美的電網連在了一起，

forming one interconnected machine stretching coast to coast.

形成了一台相互連接的機器， 從東岸綿延到西岸。

Today, the US power grid is the world's largest machine.

今天，美國的電網是全球最大的機器。

It contains more than 7,300 electricity-generating plants,

它包含超過 7300 個發電廠，

linked by some 11 million kilometers of powerlines, transformers and substations.

連接約 1100 萬公里的 電纜、變壓器和變電站。

Power grids span Earth’s continents, transmitting electricity around the clock.

電網橫跨地球各大洲， 全天候傳輸電力。

They’re massive feats of engineering—

他們是工程學的巨作——

but their functioning depends on a delicate balance.

但它們的運行需依賴精凖的平衡。

Their components must always work in unison,

所有元件必須能夠配合彼此運行，

maintain a constant frequency throughout the grid,

在整個電網中，保持恆定的頻率，

and match energy supply with demand.

並使能源供應量符合需求量。

If there's too much electricity in the system,

如果系統中的電量過多，

you get unsafe power spikes that can overheat and damage equipment.

就會產生不安全的功率尖峰， 導致過熱並損壞設備。

Too little electricity and you get blackouts.

電力不夠則會停電。

So, to strike this balance,

因此，為達到平衡，

power grid operators monitor the grid from sophisticated control centers.

電網運營商會從先進的 控制中心監控整個電網。

They forecast energy demand and adjust which power plants are active,

他們預測能源需求 並調整發電廠的狀態，

signaling them to turn their output up or down

指示提高或減少輸出，

to precisely meet current demand.

精確達到當前的需求量。

By considering factors like the availability and cost of energy resources,

通過考慮許多因素， 例如能源的可用性和成本，

grid operators create a “dispatch curve,”

電網運營商創造一條「調度曲線」，

which maps out the order in which energy sources will be used.

繪製出各種能源的使用順序。

The grid defaults to using energy from the start of the curve first.

電網預設從曲線起點開始使用能源，

Usually, the resources are ordered by price.

能源種類通常是按價格排序。

Those at the start tend to be renewables

那些在起始點的往往是可再生能源，

because they have much lower production costs.

因為他們的生產成本比較低。

Some grids, like those in Iceland and Costa Rica,

一些電網，如冰島和哥斯大黎加的，

run on more than 98% clean energy.

使用超過 98% 的乾淨能源。

But most dispatch curves contain more of a mix

但大多調度曲線都混合了

of carbon-free and carbon-emitting energy sources.

零碳排能源和有碳排的能源種類。

This means that where your electricity is coming from—

也就是說，你用電的來源

and how clean it is— varies throughout the day—

以及其環保程度隨時都會變化，

as often as every few minutes.

快到每幾分鐘就會變一次。

Take the state of Kansas.

拿堪薩斯州舉例，

Despite having plentiful wind resources,

即使該州有大量風力資源，

it regularly relies on carbon-emitting power plants.

還是規律地依賴會排碳的能源，

This is because wind energy is especially plentiful at night.

這是因為風力資源在夜晚特別多，

But, this is also when there’s lower demand.

但夜晚的電力需求較低，

So, Kansas’ is wind energy is actually regularly disposed of

所以，堪薩斯州的風力來源 會被規律地浪費，

to prevent excess electricity from damaging the grid.

以防電力產出過剩，破壞電網。

And comparable scenarios add up to a big problem worldwide.

類似這樣的案例累積下來， 就成了國際間的大問題。

Thankfully, dependence on renewables is rising.

幸好，我們越來越依賴可再生能源。

But power grids are often unable to make full use of them.

然而電網時常無法 最大化地利用這些能源。

Many simply weren't designed around intermittent energy sources

許多電網甚至沒有基於 間歇性再生能源的天性設計，

and can't store large amounts of electricity.

且無法儲存大量電力。

Researchers are experimenting with unique storage solutions.

研究人員正在試驗獨特的解決方案，

However, this will take time and substantial investment.

這需要時間及大量投資，

But hope is not lost.

但並不全然沒有希望。

We have the opportunity to work with our existing power grids in a new way:

很幸運地，我們有辦法用全新的方式 利用現存的電網：

by shifting some of our energy use

轉移一部分的用電

to the times when there’s clean electricity to spare.

到再生能源可以分擔的時段。

Leaning into this concept, called “load flexibility,”

依靠這個概念——彈性用電，

we can help flatten the peaks in demand,

我們能夠緩下用電需求尖峰，

which will place less stress on the grid and reduce the need for non-renewables.

減輕電網的壓力， 降低對非再生能源的需求。

So researchers are developing automated emissions reduction technologies

研究者們正在研發 能自動化減少排放的技術，

that tap into energy use data

它利用用電資料，

and ensure that devices get electricity from the grid at the cleanest times.

確保裝置在能源最環保的時候取得用電。

In fact, smart devices like this already exist.

其實，這樣的智慧裝置已經問世。

So, how big an effect could they have?

那麼，這些能帶來多大的改變呢？

If smart technologies like air conditioners, water heaters,

如果德州的智慧科技產品， 如空調、熱水器、

and electric vehicle chargers were implemented across the Texas power grid,

電動汽車充電站都採用這種技術，

the state’s emissions could decrease by around 20%.

德州的碳排量能減少 20% 。

In other words, simply coordinating when certain devices tap into the grid

換句話說，僅僅是協調 特定設備何時接入電網，

could translate to 6 million fewer tons of carbon

就可以使德州每年減少 600 萬噸的碳排放量，

released into the atmosphere annually from Texas alone.

僅僅德州每年的量。

Now, imagine what this could look like on a global scale.

要是全世界都採用這種技術呢？