Meet Mini-Grids — the Clean Energy Solution Bringing Power to Millions | Tombo Banda | TED

翻译人员: Ivy Loh 校对人员: suya f.

In 1994, electricity came to my mother's childhood village

在 1994 年，

电力初次抵达了我母亲童年的村庄，

in Zomba, Malawi, where my grandmother still lived.

即马拉维的松巴， 我的祖母仍住在那里。

I used to love going to Zomba as a kid.

我小时候很喜欢去松巴。

I was a typical city brat romanticizing village life.

我是个典型的城市孩子， 对乡村生活充满了幻想。

I used to love going,

我过去喜欢去那里，

I used to get to carry water on my head.

喜欢扛着水罐在头上。

And I remember the smell of kerosene as my grandma told stories at night,

我记得晚上我奶奶讲故事时煤油的气味，

and my grandpa would be nodding off to these stories.

而我的爷爷则会在听故事时打瞌睡。

But when that electricity came,

但是当电力来临时，

it meant no more stinging eyes, for my grandma,

对于我奶奶来说， 意味着不再有因为外面厨房的烟

from the smoke from the outside kitchen.

而刺痛眼睛的问题了。

It meant no more bedtime at seven.

这意味着不再是七点就睡觉了。

There was news to be watched.

有新闻可以看了。

And more importantly, for my cousins, Manuel and Charles,

更重要的是，对于我的表兄弟 曼努埃尔和查尔斯来说，

it meant a magical thing called "more time" --

这意味着一个神奇的东西 叫做“更多时间”——

more time to pursue hobbies and interests, and to study.

更多的时间来追求爱好和兴趣， 更多的时间来学习。

They both went on to pursue further education.

他们俩都继续深造了。

And for the village, it meant shops could stay open for longer,

对于这个村庄来说，这意味着 商店可以更长时间地营业，

there was more jobs and a stronger local economy.

有更多的就业机会和更强大的地方经济。

Electricity came to Zomba because the main grid extended there,

电力来到松巴是因为 主要电网已经延伸到那里，

but for so many, the wait is still ongoing.

但是对于许多人来说， 等待仍在持续。

The most recent data shows

最新的数据显示，

that less than 15 percent of Malawians have access to electricity.

只有不到 15％ 的马拉维人 拥有电力供应。

For sub-Saharan Africa,

在撒哈拉以南非洲地区，

the number of people without electricity is more than 500 million.

没有电力供应的人数超过5亿。

Globally, that number is even higher.

在全球范围内，这个数字甚至更高。

There is a solution that could mean people get more access sooner:

有一个解决方案可以让 人们更快地获得更多的电力供应：

mini-grids,

迷你电网，

localized stand-alone energy systems to power individual communities.

用于为个别社区提供独立供电系统。

They usually consist of a solar panel array,

它们通常由太阳能电池板阵列、

a battery bank and backup system connected to a small distribution network.

电池组和连接到 小型配电网络的备用系统组成。

And in areas near rivers,

在河流附近的区域，

they can be connected to hydropower turbines.

它们可以连接到水力发电涡轮机。

So how do we get more people more access, more quickly?

那么，我们如何让更多的人 更快地获得更多的电力供应呢？

The traditional process of electrification is slow and expensive.

传统的电气化过程缓慢且昂贵。

Utilities are often cash-strapped,

公共事业往往资金短缺，

rural electrification agencies are often underfunded,

农村电气化机构往往资金不足，

governments have many competing priorities.

政府有很多竞争性的优先事项。

But we need electrification

但是我们需要电气化

not only because it provides opportunity like it did for Zomba

不仅因为它像对松巴一样提供了机会，

but because lack of electrification means more environmental damage.

还因为缺乏电气化 意味着更多的环境破坏。

Where there is no power for industry and homes,

在工业和家庭没有电力供应的地方，

people who can afford to use diesel generators.

有经济能力的人会使用柴油发电机。

And for the vast majority of rural communities,

对于绝大多数农村社区来说，

they resort to cutting down trees,

他们只能砍伐树木，

for firewood, for cooking and lighting.

用作生火、烹饪和照明。

It is estimated that, at current rates of consumption,

据估计，按照目前的消费速度，

Malawi's demand for firewood could outstrip sustainable supply by 2025.

马拉维对柴火的需求可能会 在 2025 年超过可持续供应。

And if we look at coal-fired power stations,

如果我们再看看燃煤发电站，

which, until recently, have been cheaper to deploy than renewable energy,

直到最近，它们的成本 一直比可再生能源更便宜，

they exacerbate climate change,

它们加剧了气候变化，

leading to more extreme and destructive weather.

导致更极端和破坏性的天气。

For example, warmer temperatures make cyclones wetter,

例如，气温升高使得气旋更加潮湿、

more frequent and more intense.

更加频繁和更加强烈。

Malawi suffered from three devastating cyclones in the last two years,

在过去两年中，

马拉维遭受了三次毁灭性的气旋，

and is still reeling from the effects of Cyclone Freddy today.

至今仍然受到气旋弗雷迪的影响。

So what's the solution?

那么解决方案是什么呢？

A typical mini-grid, on the other hand,

另一方面，一个典型的迷你电网

can provide about 50 kW of clean, green, renewable energy,

可以提供约 50 千瓦的 清洁、绿色、可再生能源，

and connect about 200 households and 20 businesses.

并连接约 200 户家庭 和 20 家企业。

They can be quicker and cheaper to deploy than extending the main grid

它们部署起来比扩建主电网 更快、更便宜，

and can be plugged into the main grid, should it arrive.

并且可以连接到主电网， 如果主电网到达的话。

They create jobs during their construction

它们在建设过程和持续维护中

and through ongoing maintenance.

创造就业机会。

And they connect local health centers, schools.

它们连接当地的医疗中心和学校。

And they provide opportunities for entrepreneurs in those communities

它们还为这些社区的企业家

to start businesses.

提供了创业的机会。

But mini-grids have a problem.

但是迷你电网有一个问题。

This is because they often serve hard-to-reach areas,

这是因为它们通常为 难以到达的地区提供服务，

where people's only use for electricity is lighting or charging phones,

在这些地区，人们唯一的用电 是照明或为手机充电，

and they haven't really had the need or the access to appliances

他们实际上并没有对家庭和企业的电器

for their homes and businesses.

有需求或者渠道。

This means that the money that they pay

这意味着他们支付给

to electricity providers or the mini-grid developers

电力供应商或 迷你电网开发商的钱非常少。

is very little.

We know the impact that electricity can have on an individual,

我们知道电力对个人、

the community and the wider economy,

社区和整个经济产生影响，

so if we can't rely on governments to provide,

因此，如果我们不能依靠政府提供，

we need the private sector.

我们就需要私营部门。

And for that reason, mini-grids need to be more profitable for those investors.

出于这个原因，迷你电网需要为 这些投资者带来更多利润。

As of now,

截至目前，

the return that a mini-grid developer will get from a typical installation

迷你电网开发商从典型安装中获得的回报

is about five to six percent.

大约为 5% 至 6%。

We think this number needs to be more like 12 percent

我们认为这个数字需要更接近 12%，

to compete with other infrastructure investments,

才能与其他基础设施投资竞争，

such as commercial and industrial solar or toll roads.

例如商业和工业太阳能或收费公路。

So ...

那么......

After a career as an engineer --

作为一名工程师的职业生涯，

thanks, in part, to the not-so-subtle influence of my dad --

这在一定程度上要归功于 我父亲不太微妙的影响——

(Laughter)

（笑声）

and then as a management consultant,

然后作为一名管理咨询顾问，

this dilemma brought me to my current role,

这个困境将我带到了我目前的角色，

leading the Mini-Grid Innovation Lab at CrossBoundary.

领导 CrossBoundary 的 迷你电网创新实验室。

Our mandate is to experiment with the mini-grid business model,

我们的任务是尝试迷你电网的商业模式，

to make it more profitable,

使其更具盈利性，

and therefore a more appealing way to spread electrification

从而成为横跨整个非洲大陆传播电气化的

across the continent.

更具吸引力的方式。

To make mini-grids more profitable -- pretty straightforward.

让迷你电网更具盈利性——相当直接。

One of two things needs to happen.

其中的一件事情必须发生。

Revenues need to go up or costs need to go down.

收入必须增加，或者成本必须降低。

On the revenue side, we've tested appliance financing.

在收入方面，我们测试了家电融资。

Appliance financing, not a new concept,

家电融资不是一个新概念，

it's been used right here in the United States,

它曾在 20 世纪 20 年代和 30 年代，就在美国使用过。

in the 1920s and '30s.

Who’s seen the show “1923”?

谁看过《1923》这部剧？

Great. It's a great show,

太棒了。这是个很棒的节目，

Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren.

由哈里森·福特（Harrison Ford）、 海伦·米伦（Helen Mirren）主演。

There's a great scene in it,

里面有一幕很精彩，

where a salesman is trying to convince the ranchers

一个推销员试图说服牧场主

to buy washing machines and electric cookers, on credit,

使用信用购买洗衣机和电饭煲，

for this new invention called "electricity,"

为这项名为 “电力” 的新发明付费，

because their lives will become a bit easier.

因为这样使他们的生活变得更轻松一些。

And the retort from the ranchers is --

而牧场主们的反驳是——

and please indulge my attempt at a Southern accent here --

请尽情享受我在这里尝试 使用南方口音——

(Laughter)

（笑声）

"It ain't more leisurely,

“这并没有更轻松，

because we have to work more to pay for all that stuff."

因为我们必须更努力地工作 来支付所有这些东西。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

(Applause and laughter)

（掌声和笑声）

It's partially true, right? Capitalism.

这部分是真的，对吧？资本主义。

But it did happen,

但它确实发生了，

and it worked by private lenders and government agencies

通过私人贷款和政府机构的方式

extending small loans to homeowners

向房主提供了小额贷款，

so they could purchase washing machines and electric cookers on credit,

这样他们就可以赊购洗衣机和电饭煲，

increase their electricity bill

增加电费账单，

and generate more revenues for those utilities.

为这些公用事业创造更多收入。

And in return, their lives were made a little bit easier.

作为回报，他们的生活 变得稍微轻松了一些。

We tried the same thing in Long’ech, Lake Turkana, Kenya,

我们在肯尼亚图尔卡纳湖的 Long’ech 尝试了同样的方法，

where we financed an ice machine for a local entrepreneur

我们为当地的一位企业家， 也是迷你电网客户

who was also a mini-grid customer there.

融资了一台制冰机。

Before the ice machine,

在拥有这台制冰机之前，

he used to buy fish from local fishermen,

他经常从当地渔民那里购买鱼，

dry that fish and transport it to a nearby town for sale.

将鱼晾干，然后运送到附近的城镇出售。

The ice machine allowed him to preserve that fish fresh,

这台制冰机让他能够保持鱼的新鲜，

transport it to the marketplace fresh

将其新鲜地运送到市场，

and sell it at six times the price he did than the dried fish.

然后以比干鱼高六倍的价格出售。

He also consumed 50 times more

他的用电量比迷你电网的

than the average consumer on that mini-grid,

平均消费者多 50 倍，

and this increased the revenues of that mini-grid by 25 percent.

这使迷你电网的收入增加了 25％。

On the cost side, we've looked at less expensive ways for storage,

在成本方面，我们寻找了更便宜的

for solar-powered minigrids.

太阳能迷你电网的存储方式。

Batteries from the US, Europe, Asia,

来自美国、欧洲、亚洲的电池

no longer strong enough to be used in electric buses,

虽然不再足以用于电动巴士，

can be used a second time as backup power and storage.

但可以再次作为备用电源和储存器使用。

These batteries can be up to 40 percent cheaper than new ones

这些电池比新电池便宜多达 40%，

and will become more accessible as the EV sector scales globally.

并且随着电动汽车行业的全球扩展， 这些电池将变得更加易于获取。

There is a last example I want to share about what is possible.

我想分享最后一个例子， 说明什么是可能的。

This example is in Tanzania,

这个例子发生在坦桑尼亚，

in an agroforestry and tea-growing area.

一个农林复合种植和茶叶种植区。

Prior to the minigrids, the local economy

在迷你电网之前，

centered around employment in the tea estates and factories,

当地经济以茶园和木材工厂就业为中心。

and timber factories.

The availability of electricity

电力供应带来了 使用农林业副产品的企业繁荣。

has brought about a boom in businesses using agroforestry by-products.

One entrepreneur, Martino, opened a carpentry workshop.

一位名叫马蒂诺的企业家 开了一家木工作坊。

He makes window frames and doors for the local village and nearby towns,

他为当地村庄和附近的城镇 制作窗框和门，

and he makes desks for the local schools.

为当地学校制作书桌。

Business is booming

生意之所以繁荣，

because this community has increased disposable income.

是因为这个社区的可支配收入增加了。

They even have a thriving laundromat.

他们甚至有了一个繁荣的自助洗衣店。

So, you know, those washing machines are useful after all.

所以，你知道，这些洗衣机毕竟很有用。

But this mini-grid community

但是，这个迷你电网社区的用电量

consumes 10 times more than the average minigrid community,

比平均迷你电网社区多 10 倍，

and these revenues drive what is needed for profitability.

这些收入推动了盈利所需的一切。

So these innovations

因此，这些创新使迷你电网 的投资前景更具吸引力。

are making the investment proposition for mini-grids more attractive.

The African Minigrid Developers Association reports

非洲迷你电网开发商协会报告称，

that connections grew 45 percent from 2020 to 2021.

从 2020 年到 2021 年， 连接增长了 45％。

But at the current rates of progress,

但按照目前的进展速度，

the World Bank estimates

世界银行估计，

that 670 million people will remain without electricity by 2030.

到 2030 年将有 6.7 亿人 仍然没有电力供应。

That’s 670 million people still using kerosene lamps,

也就是说，有 6.7 亿人 仍然在使用煤油灯，

still cutting down trees for firewood,

仍在砍伐树木作为柴火，

and losing that most valuable of resources: time.

并失去了最宝贵的资源之一：时间。

Bed by 7pm.

晚上7点就寝。

We cannot afford to wait for the electrification of our continent,

我们不能等待大陆的电气化，

nor can we afford to do it unsustainably.

我们也不能以不可持续的方式进行。

The human cost is tangible, real

人力成本是有形的、真实的，

and too close to home.

而且离家太近了。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）