Bilal Bomani: Plant fuels that could power a jet

Translator: Fran Ontanaya Reviewer: Morton Bast

翻译人员: Li Li 校对人员: Yuchen Shen

What I'm going to do is, I'm going to explain to you

我将向大家介绍一种极其绿色的理念，

an extreme green concept

这一理念是在俄亥俄州克利夫兰的

that was developed at NASA's Glenn Research Center

美国航空航天局格伦研究中心形成的

in Cleveland, Ohio.

But before I do that, we have to go over

在介绍之前，先让我们来回顾一下

the definition of what green is,

绿色环保的定义

'cause a lot of us have a different definition of it.

因为很多人都有不同的理解

Green. The product is created through

绿色环保，是通过具有

environmentally and socially conscious means.

环境和社会意识的途径生产的产品

There's plenty of things that are being called green now.

现在有很多东西都号称绿色环保

What does it actually mean?

那它到底是什么意思呢？

We use three metrics to determine green.

我们用三个指标来确定绿色环保

The first metric is: Is it sustainable?

第一个指标：是否可持续？

Which means, are you preserving what you are doing for future use

意思是，你在为未来或子孙后代保留用度吗

or for future generations?

Is it alternative? Is it different than what is being used today,

它可替换吗？它是否与如今使用的有所不同？

or does it have a lower carbon footprint

又或者是，它比传统的用法

than what's used conventionally?

是否产生更少的碳排放量？

And three: Is it renewable?

第三点：它可再生吗？

Does it come from Earth's natural replenishing resources,

它是地球的再生资源吗？

such as sun, wind and water?

像太阳，风和水？

Now, my task at NASA is to develop

我在NASA的任务就是开发

the next generation of aviation fuels.

新一代航空燃料

Extreme green. Why aviation?

极度绿色环保，为什么是航空呢？

The field of aviation uses more fuel than just about

航空领域耗费比其他领域加起来还要多的燃料

every other combined. We need to find an alternative.

我们必须找到替代物

Also it's a national aeronautics directive.

这也是一个国家航空学的指令

One of the national aeronautics goals is to develop

国家航空学的目标之一

the next generation of fuels, biofuels,

就是开发新一代燃料，生物燃料

using domestic and safe, friendly resources.

用国内安全的环保能源

Now, combating that challenge

如今，为了突破这种局面

we have to also meet the big three metric —

我们也要达到三大指标

Actually, extreme green for us is all three together;

事实上，极度绿色环保对我们来说 也是三大指标的综合

that's why you see the plus there. I was told to say that.

所以你能看到那里的加号 我得说明一下

So it has to be the big three at GRC. That's another metric.

所以还有 GRC 的三大原则 这也是另一个指标

Ninety-seven percent of the world's water is saltwater.

世界上 97% 的水都是咸水

How about we use that? Combine that with number three.

我们用咸水如何？ 把它和第三点结合

Do not use arable land.

不要用耕地

Because crops are already growing on that land

因为农作物已经在上面生长了

that's very scarce around the world.

而耕地在地球上是十分稀缺的

Number two: Don't compete with food crops.

第二点：不要和粮食作物抢地

That's already a well established entity, they don't need another entry.

这是一种已经存在的本质 它们不需要再次占领土地

And lastly the most precious resource we have on this Earth

最后，我们在这个地球上拥有的最宝贵的资源

is fresh water. Don't use fresh water.

就是淡水，所以不要使用淡水

If 97.5 percent of the world's water is saltwater,

如果世界上 97.5% 的水是咸水

2.5 percent is fresh water. Less than a half percent

2.5%的是淡水，而且人类可用的淡水

of that is accessible for human use.

还不到0.5%

But 60 percent of the population lives within that one percent.

但 60% 的人靠1% 存活

So, combating my problem was, now I have to be extreme green

所以，我得极度环保地解决我的问题

and meet the big three. Ladies and gentlemen,

而且要达到三个指标 女士们先生们

welcome to the GreenLab Research Facility.

欢迎来到“绿色实验室研究设施”

This is a facility dedicated to the next generation

这是一个用盐生植物致力于新一代

of aviation fuels using halophytes.

研发航空燃料的设施

A halophyte is a salt-tolerating plant.

盐生植物以一种亲盐植物

Most plants don't like salt, but halophytes tolerate salt.

大多数植物不喜欢盐， 但盐生植物是亲盐的

We also are using weeds

我们也用野草

and we are also using algae.

我们也用藻类植物

The good thing about our lab is, we've had

我们的实验室有一个优势，就是

3,600 visitors in the last two years.

在过去的两年有3600名访客

Why do you think that's so?

这有什么可炫耀的？

Because we are on to something special.

因为我们在做一些很特别的事

So, in the lower you see the GreenLab obviously,

所以下面的图片是“绿色实验室”

and on the right hand side you'll see algae.

右边的图片就是藻类植物

If you are into the business of the next generation

如果你在从事新一代的

of aviation fuels, algae is a viable option,

航空燃料，藻类植物是个可行的选择

there's a lot of funding right now,

我们现在有很多资金

and we have an algae to fuels program.

我们有一个把藻类做成燃料的项目

There's two types of algae growing.

我们种植有两种藻类

One is a closed photobioreactor that you see here,

一种是你们在这里看到的 封闭式光生物反应器

and what you see on the other side is our species —

你们在另一边看到的就是我们的物种

we are currently using a species called Scenedesmus dimorphus.

我们现在在用一种叫二形栅藻的物种

Our job at NASA is to take the experimental and computational

我们在NASA的工作就是 把试验性的和计算性的拿出来

and make a better mixing for the closed photobioreactors.

再按较好的比例混合 提供给封闭式光生物反应器

Now the problems with closed photobioreactors are:

现在封闭式光生物反应器的问题是：

They are quite expensive, they are automated,

他们价格不菲，他们是自动化的

and it's very difficult to get them in large scale.

很难大规模采购

So on large scale what do they use?

那么他们广泛使用什么呢？

We use open pond systems. Now, around the world

我们用开放式水塘系统 目前在世界上

they are growing algae, with this racetrack design

人们用这种跑道设计来种植藻类

that you see here. Looks like an oval with

如图，看起来就像

a paddle wheel and mixes really well,

带桨的椭圆，而且混配得还不错

but when it gets around the last turn, which I call turn four — it's stagnant.

但当它来到最后一步时 我称之为第四步——它就停滞了

We actually have a solution for that.

我们其实有一个办法

In the GreenLab in our open pond system

在“绿色实验室”里， 在我们的开放式水塘系统中

we use something that happens in nature: waves.

我们用自然界的产物：声波

We actually use wave technology on our open pond systems.

我们在开放式水塘系统运用了声波技术

We have 95 percent mixing and our lipid content is higher

我们有95%的混合， 所以相比封闭式光生物反应器

than a closed photobioreactor system,

我们的脂含量更高

which we think is significant.

这是相当了不起的

There is a drawback to algae, however: It's very expensive.

但是，藻类有一个缺点 就是价格昂贵

Is there a way to produce algae inexpensively?

那么有没有办法低价地生产藻类呢？

And the answer is: yes.

答案是：有的

We do the same thing we do with halophytes,

方法和盐生植物一样

and that is: climatic adaptation.

就是：气候适应

In our GreenLab we have six primary ecosystems

在我们的“绿色实验室”里 我们有六个原生态系统

that range from freshwater all the way to saltwater.

从淡水到咸水都有

What we do: We take a potential species, we start at freshwater,

我们做的：我们拿一个有潜力的物种 从淡水开始

we add a little bit more salt, when the second tank here

我们增加一点盐 所以这里第二个水槽

will be the same ecosystem as Brazil —

会和巴西的生态系统一样——

right next to the sugar cane fields you can have our plants —

就在甘蔗地旁边 你就能看到我们的作物——

the next tank represents Africa, the next tank represents Arizona,

下一个水槽是非洲，再下一个是亚利桑那州

the next tank represents Florida,

再下一个是加州

and the next tank represents California or the open ocean.

再下一个是加州或公海

What we are trying to do is to come up with a single species

我们设法得出一种单一的物种

that can survive anywhere in the world, where there's barren desert.

它可以在世界任何地方存活 包括荒瘠的沙漠

We are being very successful so far.

我们目前还挺成功的

Now, here's one of the problems.

现在，问题之一就是

If you are a farmer, you need five things to be successful: You need seeds,

如果你是一个农场主 你有五个要素才能成功：你需要种子

you need soil, you need water and you need sun,

你需要土壤，你需要水，还需要阳光

and the last thing that you need is fertilizer.

最后一个就是肥料

Most people use chemical fertilizers. But guess what?

大部分人用化学肥料，但你知道吗？

We do not use chemical fertilizer.

我们不用化学肥料

Wait a second! I just saw lots of greenery in your GreenLab. You have to use fertilizer.

等等！我刚在你们的“绿色实验室” 看到很多植被，肥料是必需的呀

Believe it or not, in our analysis of our saltwater ecosystems

信不信由你， 在我们的盐水生态系统分析报告中

80 percent of what we need are in these tanks themselves.

我们需要的 80% 都来自水槽

The 20 percent that's missing is nitrogen and phosphorous.

剩下的 20% 是氮和磷

We have a natural solution: fish.

我们有纯天然的解决办法：鱼

No we don't cut up the fish and put them in there.

我们不是把鱼杀了丢进去

Fish waste is what we use. As a matter of fact

我们用鱼的排泄物

we use freshwater mollies, that we've used our climatic adaptation technique

事实上，我们用淡水帆鳍鲈 从淡水到盐水生态系统中

from freshwater all the way to seawater.

我们都用了气候适应技术

Freshwater mollies: cheap, they love to make babies,

淡水帆鳍鲈：便宜，他们热衷繁殖

and they love to go to the bathroom.

他们热衷上厕所（排泄）

And the more they go to the bathroom, the more fertilizer we get,

他们上厕所上得越多 我们得到的肥料就越多

the better off we are, believe it or not.

我们的日子就更红火 信不信由你

It should be noted that we use sand as our soil,

需要注意的是我们用沙子作为土壤

regular beach sand. Fossilized coral.

普通的沙滩沙子，变成化石的珊瑚

So a lot of people ask me, "How did you get started?"

所以很多人问我：“你们是怎么开始的？”

Well, we got started in what we call the indoor biofuels lab.

嗯，我们是从我们称之为 室内生物燃料实验室开始的

It's a seedling lab. We have 26 different species of halophytes,

这是一个幼苗实验室 我们有26种不同种类的盐生植物

and five are winners. What we do here is —

有五种获得了我们的认可 我们在这里做的——

actually it should be called a death lab, 'cause we try to

其实它应该被称为“死亡实验室”

kill the seedlings, make them rough —

因为我们尝试去弄死这些幼苗 让他们变得更坚强——

and then we come to the GreenLab.

然后我们得出了这个“绿色实验室”

What you see in the lower corner

你在下面这个角落看到的

is a wastewater treatment plant experiment

是废水养殖植物实验

that we are growing, a macro-algae that I'll talk about in a minute.

我们种植的是一种大型海藻 我稍后会讲

And lastly, it's me actually working in the lab to prove to you I do work,

最后的图，其实是我在实验室里工作 目的是让大家知道我是有在工作的

I don't just talk about what I do.

我并非只是告诉大家我做了什么

Here's the plant species. Salicornia virginica.

这是些植物物种 弗吉尼亚盐角草

It's a wonderful plant. I love that plant.

它是神奇的植物 我超爱这种植物

Everywhere we go we see it. It's all over the place, from Maine

我们去哪都能看到它 从缅因（美国一个州）

all the way to California. We love that plant.

一直到加州，到处都有 我们都喜欢这种植物

Second is Salicornia bigelovii. Very difficult to get around the world.

第二种是毕氏盐角草 在地球上十分罕见

It is the highest lipid content that we have,

是我们目前拥有的含脂量最高的植物

but it has a shortcoming: It's short.

但有一个缺点：它太短了

Now you take europaea, which is the largest or the tallest plant that we have.

然后是齐墩果树 是我们拥有的最大或最高的植物

And what we are trying to do

用自然选择或自适性生物

with natural selection or adaptive biology — combine all three

我们试图去做的—— 就是把三者结合在一起

to make a high-growth, high-lipid plant.

培养出一种多脂高产的植物

Next, when a hurricane decimated the Delaware Bay — soybean fields gone —

接下来，当飓风在德拉华湾（美国一地方） 大加肆虐时——黄豆地被摧毁了——

we came up with an idea: Can you have a plant

所以我们萌生这么一个想法：能否有一种植物

that has a land reclamation positive in Delaware? And the answer is yes.

能在德拉华进行土地改良的？ 答案是肯定的

It's called seashore mallow. Kosteletzkya virginica —

它叫做海滨锦葵， 学名Kosteletzkya virginica

say that five times fast if you can.

你快速读五遍试试看

This is a 100 percent usable plant. The seeds: biofuels. The rest: cattle feed.

这是一种100%可用的植物 种子：生物燃料；剩下的：畜牧饲料

It's there for 10 years; it's working very well.

我们已经用了10年了，效果显著

Now we get to Chaetomorpha.

然后说到硬毛藻属

This is a macro-algae that loves

这是一种大型藻类

excess nutrients. If you are in the aquarium industry

喜好大量的营养 如果你从事水族馆行业

you know we use it to clean up dirty tanks.

你就会知道我们用它来清理脏水池

This species is so significant to us.

这种物种对我们很重要

The properties are very close to plastic.

它们的属性和塑料很相似

We are trying right now to convert this macro-algae into a bioplastic.

我们目前在尝试将这种大型藻类 转化成生物塑料

If we are successful, we will revolutionize the plastics industry.

如果我们成功了， 我们将会颠覆整个塑料行业

So, we have a seed to fuel program.

所以，我们有“种子到燃料”这个项目

We have to do something with this biomass that we have.

我们需要对我们拥有的生物量有所作为

And so we do G.C. extraction, lipid optimization, so on and so forth,

我们用气体色谱分析提取法， 脂肪最佳化法，等其他方法

because our goal really is to come up with

因为我们的目标是实现

the next generation of aviation fuels, aviation specifics, so on and so forth.

新一代航天燃料，航天器具， 以及其他东西

So far we talked about water and fuel,

目前我们说了水和燃料

but along the way we found out something interesting about Salicornia:

但这个过程中， 我们发现了盐角草有趣的一面

It's a food product.

它是一种食品

So we talk about ideas worth spreading, right?

我们说值得传播的思想，对吧？

How about this: In sub-Saharan Africa, next to the sea, saltwater,

这个怎么样：在撒哈拉以南非洲地区 大海旁边，咸水

barren desert, how about we take that plant,

荒瘠沙漠里，我们那这种植物

plant it, half use for food, half use for fuel.

将之种植，一半用作食物，一半用作燃料

We can make that happen, inexpensively.

我们可以实现这一想法，而且开销不大

You can see there's a greenhouse in Germany

你可以看到在德国的一个温室里

that sells it as a health food product.

他们把它当做健康食品出售

This is harvested, and in the middle here is a shrimp dish, and it's being pickled.

这是收成的，中间这个是一盘虾，正在腌制

So I have to tell you a joke. Salicornia is known as sea beans,

我得跟你们说个笑话 盐角草也被称为海蓬子

saltwater asparagus and pickle weed.

咸水芦笋，以及腌大麻

So we are pickling pickle weed in the middle.

所以中间那张就是 我们在腌制腌大麻

Oh, I thought it was funny. (Laughter)

哦我还以为这个挺搞笑的（笑声）

And at the bottom is seaman's mustard. It does make sense,

底部这个是水手的芥菜 这是有依据的

this is a logical snack. You have mustard,

这是一种合逻辑的零食 你有芥菜

you are a seaman, you see the halophyte, you mix it together,

你又是一个水手，然后你看到盐生植物 你会把它们混合在一起

it's a great snack with some crackers.

配上饼干，就成了绝佳的零食

And last, garlic with Salicornia, which is what I like.

最后，盐角草配上大蒜，就是我喜欢的搭配

So, water, fuel and food.

所以，水，燃料，和食物

None of this is possible without the GreenLab team.

没有“绿色实验室”的团队，这一切都不复存在

Just like the Miami Heat has the big three, we have the big three at NASA GRC.

就像迈阿密热火（NBA球队）的三巨头 我们NASA GRC也有三巨头

That's myself, professor Bob Hendricks, our fearless leader, and Dr. Arnon Chait.

那个是我，我们无所畏惧的领队 Bob Hendricks 还有 Arnon Chait 博士

The backbone of the GreenLab is students.

“绿色实验室”的顶梁柱是学生

Over the last two years we've had 35 different students

在过去的两年里我们有35名学生

from around the world working at GreenLab.

他们来自世界各地，齐聚工作于“绿色实验室”

As a matter fact my division chief says a lot, "You have a green university."

我的部门部长经常说：“你有一个绿色的宇宙。”

I say, "I'm okay with that, 'cause we are nurturing

我说；“我认可你的观点，

the next generation of extreme green thinkers, which is significant."

因为我们在培养新一代的绿色环保思想家 这一点很重要。“

So, in first summary I presented to you what we think

小结一下，我为大家展示了

is a global solution for food, fuel and water.

什么是我们得出的解决食物，燃料和水 的全球性方案

There's something missing to be complete.

这些方案还有待完善

Clearly we use electricity. We have a solution for you —

我们用电 所以有这个一个方案——

We're using clean energy sources here.

我们这里用的是清洁能源

So, we have two wind turbines connected to the GreenLab,

所以我们有两个风力涡轮机 连接到”绿色实验室“

we have four or five more hopefully coming soon.

接下来我们可能会增加四到五个

We are also using something that is quite interesting —

我们还用了一些有趣的东西——

there is a solar array field at NASA's Glenn Research Center,

在 NASA的格林研究中心， 有一个太阳电池板场地

hasn't been used for 15 years.

已经停用15年了

Along with some of my electrical engineering colleagues,

在我的一些电子工程同时的帮助下

we realized that they are still viable,

我们意识到它们还是可以使用的

so we are refurbishing them right now.

所以我们现在把它们翻新一下

In about 30 days or so they'll be connected to the GreenLab.

大约30天后 它们就可以连接到”绿色实验室“了

And the reason why you see red, red and yellow, is

你会看到红色和黄色的框框

a lot of people think NASA employees don't work on Saturday —

是因为很多人觉得 NASA 的人周六不上班

This is a picture taken on Saturday.

这张照片是周六拍的

There are no cars around, but you see my truck in yellow. I work on Saturday. (Laughter)

旁边没车，但你能看到我的卡车是黄色的 我周六是上班的（笑声）

This is a proof to you that I'm working.

这再次证明了我是有认真工作的

'Cause we do what it takes to get the job done, most people know that.

因为大部分都知道 一分耕耘一分收获

Here's a concept with this:

这里面有一个概念：

We are using the GreenLab for a micro-grid test bed

我们用”绿色实验室“ 是为了俄亥俄州的一个智能电网概念

for the smart grid concept in Ohio.

的微电网试验台

We have the ability to do that, and I think it's going to work.

我们有能力去实施 而且我认为它能成功

So, GreenLab Research Facility.

所以，“绿色实验室研究设施”

A self-sustainable renewable energy ecosystem was presented today.

今天为大家展示了 一个自我可持续发展可再生能源生态系统

We really, really hope this concept catches on worldwide.

我们真的，真的希望这个概念 能在全世界传播开来

We think we have a solution for food, water, fuel and now energy. Complete.

我们认为我们有解决食物、 水、燃料，和能源的方法

It's extreme green, it's sustainable, alternative and renewable

它极度绿色环保，可持续发展， 可替换，以及可再生

and it meets the big three at GRC:

也符合 GRC 的三大指标：

Don't use arable land, don't compete with food crops,

不用可开垦的耕地，不和其他粮食作物竞争

and most of all, don't use fresh water.

最重要的是，不用淡水

So I get a lot of questions about, "What are you doing in that lab?"

所以我经常被问： ”你在实验室里是做什么的？“

And I usually say, "None of your business, that's what I'm doing in the lab." (Laughter)

我通常会说：”不关你事， 这就是我在实验室里做的事。“（笑声）

And believe it or not, my number one goal

信不信由你 我做这个项目

for working on this project is

的首要目标就是

I want to help save the world.

我想要拯救这个世界