Should you switch to solar? - Shannon Odell

譯者: 麗玲 辛 審譯者: Helen Chang

In the spring of 1954,

在 1954 年的春天，

the press excitedly gathered around Bell Laboratories’ latest invention—

各路媒體紛紛齊聚貝爾實驗室， 一睹其最新發明——

a silicon-based solar cell that could efficiently convert

一塊矽基太陽能電池，

能有效地將太陽能轉換成電流。

the sun's energy into electrical current.

The creation was celebrated as the dawn of a new era,

這發明備受讚譽，

被視為是劃時代的發明，

as reporters touted that civilization would soon

記者們大肆宣傳，

聲稱文明社會即將依靠 無限的太陽能運作。

run on the sun’s limitless energy.

But the dream had a catch, as this first commercially sold solar cell

但這美夢卻有一個限制，

第一塊在市場售出的太陽能電池，

cost around $300 per watt,

成本約每瓦三百塊美金，

meaning at its current rate,

以現在的幣值來算，

it would cost well over a million to buy a unit large enough

足夠購買為一個家庭供電的裝置，

遠遠超過 100 萬美元。

to power a single home.

But today in many countries

但如今，在許多國家，

solar is the cheapest form of energy to produce,

太陽能卻是生產成本最低的能源，

surpassing fossil fuel alternatives like coal and natural gas.

優於煤炭和天然氣等化石燃料選項。

Millions of homes are equipped with rooftop solar,

數以百萬計的家庭配備了屋頂太陽能，

with most units paying for themselves in their first 7 to 12 years

大多數在頭七到十二年就能收回成本，

and then generating further savings.

之後還能繼續省錢。

So how did solar become so affordable?

那麼，

太陽能是如何變得如此經濟實惠的呢？

A turning point in solar’s price history occurred

太陽能價格歷史的轉折點

on the floor of Germany’s parliament, where in 2000,

發生在德國議會，

在 2000 年，

赫爾曼·謝爾 (Herman Scheer) 提出《可再生能源法》，

Herman Scheer introduced the Renewable Energy Sources Act.

This legislation laid out a vision for the country’s energy future

這項立法明確規劃了

in solar and wind.

該國太陽能和風能的 未來能源發展方向。

It incentivized citizens to personally invest in rooftop solar panels

為激勵民眾投資屋頂太陽能板，

屋主只要將產生的能源出售到電網，

by guaranteeing payment to homeowners for the renewable energy they generated

and sold to the grid.

就能得到一定的保證收入。

The pay rate for this electricity was highly subsidized,

這種電力的費率得到高額補貼，

at times reaching four times the market price.

有時甚至是市價的四倍。

Several other countries soon followed Germany’s example,

其他幾個國家很快效仿德國，

implementing similar policies and incentives

採用相似的政策和措施，

to drive their country’s solar use.

來推動本國對太陽能的運用。

This created unprecedented demand for solar panels worldwide.

這導致全球對太陽能板

產生前所未有的高需求，

Manufacturers were able to scale up production

製造商得以擴大生產，

and innovate in ways that cut costs.

並找到降低成本的創新方法。

As a result, solar panel prices dropped, while efficiency grew.

因此，太陽能板的 價格下降，效率提高。

如今，

Today, a 46-square-meter rooftop solar unit is often efficient enough

一個四十六平方米的屋頂太陽能裝置，

往往足以支撐一個家庭的用電量，

to fully power a home,

and this residential unit no longer costs millions—

而這個家用裝置的費用 不再需要數百萬元。

in the US in 2022, the average consumer cost of a rooftop solar unit

到 2022 年，在美國，

屋頂太陽能裝置的平均價格

ranged from around $17,000 to $23,000.

約由一萬七千至兩萬三千美金不等，

These prices dropped by over 60% between 2010 and 2020 alone.

僅 2010 年至 2020 年間 便降價超過 60%。

So how much money can you save by switching to solar?

那麼，改用太陽能可以節省多少錢呢？

US solar equipped homeowners can save around $1,500 per year

在美國，

裝有太陽能的屋主

每年電費能節省一千五百美元，

on their energy bills,

equating to a net savings of $10,000 to $30,000 during the unit’s lifetime.

等於在扣除成本後，

在該太陽能系統的使用壽命內， 能省下一萬至三萬美金。

Month-to-month savings tend to vary,

每個月節省的金額不定，

based on the amount of direct sunlight your panel receives,

視乎太陽能板接收多少直接光照、

weather conditions, and the price of electricity where you live.

天氣狀況以及當地電費價格。

But not everyone can get solar.

但並非每個人都可以安裝太陽能系統。

Adopting solar can be difficult for renters, and in many countries,

對租屋者來說，採用太陽能並不容易，

在許多國家，

超過 25% 成年人沒有自己的房屋，

more than 25% of adults don’t own their own homes.

Even if you do, your roof must meet certain orientation and tilt requirements

即使有自己的房子，

屋頂也必須符合特定方向和斜度的要求，

to make solar a worthwhile investment.

太陽能板才會成為划算的投資。

And while units often pay for themselves through offset energy costs,

雖然省下的電費通常能抵銷成本，

the initial purchase and installation price for solar can be expensive.

但太陽能板的最初購入 和安裝的費用可能相當高。

But several companies have adopted solar leasing models,

不過，有些公司已採用 太陽能租賃模式，

where they finance the material costs,

它們出資，提供太陽能系統的 材料成本、安裝和維護，

installation, and upkeep of the rooftop systems.

Homeowners can then buy the panel’s generated electricity

然後屋主以固定價格 購買所產生的電力，

at a fixed rate that’s generally lower than the local utility’s price.

費率通常比當地公用事業低。

Still, many are working towards community-based solutions,

儘管如此，許多人仍努力尋求 社區模式的解決方案，

which would enable entire neighborhoods to profit from solar use.

讓整個社區能夠由太陽能使用中獲利。

Europe is home to more than 7,000 community energy associations,

歐洲擁有七千多個社區能源協會，

where local members collectively invest in wind turbines and solar panels

當地成員共同投資 風力渦輪機和太陽能電池板

to power their local grid.

來為當地電網供電。

In 2005, the German town of Wolfhagen created an 800 member citizens co-op,

2005 年，德國沃爾夫哈根鎮創建 一個擁八百名成員的公民合作社，

which communally invested $2.84 million

他們共同投資 284 萬美元，

to buy up 25% of the local energy company

購買了當地能源公司 25％ 的股份

and expand its renewables program.

並擴大了可再生能源計畫。

Today, its turbines and panels generate enough energy

如今，它的風力渦輪機 和太陽能電池板產生的能源

to meet the town’s needs and then some.

不只滿足該鎮的需求，

Surplus energy is sold to neighboring towns,

多餘的能源還能賣給鄰近城鎮，

and profits are reinvested back into the community.

利潤再重新投資回社區。

For many, the appeal of solar goes beyond just savings.

對許多人來說， 太陽能的魅力不僅是省錢。

Homes equipped with it are more climate resilient,

裝有太陽能的房屋更具氣候適應能力，

because they can be protected from utility grid outages and brownouts.

因為它們可以免受 公用電網斷電和限電的影響，

Not to mention solar’s key role in decarbonizing the energy grid.

更不用說太陽能在能源網 脫碳方面的關鍵作用。

By working together with larger-scale wind and solar farms,

通過與更大規模的風能 和太陽能發電場合作，

rooftop solar units help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels,

屋頂太陽能裝置有助於 減少我們對化石燃料的依賴，

paving the way for a cleaner and more reliable energy future.

迎接更清潔、更可靠的能源未來。