Jonathan Trent: Energy from floating algae pods

Translator: Joseph Geni Reviewer: Morton Bast

譯者: Anny Chung 審譯者: Gina Wang

Some years ago, I set out to try to understand

幾年前，我決心研究

if there was a possibility to develop biofuels

是否有辦法生產生物燃料

on a scale that would actually compete with fossil fuels

使之量大到可與化石燃料抗衡

but not compete with agriculture for water,

卻不會與食用農業

競爭水、肥料、或是土地

fertilizer or land.

So here's what I came up with.

以下是我想出來的方案

Imagine that we build an enclosure where we put it

想像一個建造在水底下的空間

just underwater, and we fill it with wastewater

我們把它裝滿處理過的廢水

and some form of microalgae that produces oil,

並加入會製造油料的微藻

and we make it out of some kind of flexible material

然後這個空間的材料 將會是有彈性的

that moves with waves underwater,

讓它能夠隨波移動

and the system that we're going to build, of course,

當然，我們建造的這個系統

will use solar energy to grow the algae,

將利用太陽能使藻類生長

and they use CO2, which is good,

它們會消耗二氧化碳，這是件好事

and they produce oxygen as they grow.

然後在生長的過程中製造氧氣

The algae that grow are in a container that

微藻生長的空間能夠將多餘的熱能

distributes the heat to the surrounding water,

分散傳導至四周圍的水中

and you can harvest them and make biofuels

你可以收成它們來提煉生物燃料

and cosmetics and fertilizer and animal feed,

還有化妝品、肥料及飼料的原料

and of course you'd have to make a large area of this,

當然，你得讓它附蓋很大的面積

so you'd have to worry about other stakeholders

所以你得當心其他利益相關者

like fishermen and ships and such things, but hey,

像是漁民和船等等，但這都是小事

we're talking about biofuels,

因為重要的是生物燃料

and we know the importance of potentially getting

而大家都知道生產替代能源 是多麼地重要

an alternative liquid fuel.

Why are we talking about microalgae?

為什麼我們要用微藻類?

Here you see a graph showing you the different types

這個圖表顯示著

of crops that are being considered for making biofuels,

目前考慮用來生產 生物燃料的不同農作物

so you can see some things like soybean,

你可以看到像是黃豆

which makes 50 gallons per acre per year,

每英畝一年可生產五十加侖

or sunflower or canola or jatropha or palm, and that

或是向日葵、油菜籽 痲瘋樹和油棕

tall graph there shows what microalgae can contribute.

然後那個很高的圖代表微藻的產量

That is to say, microalgae contributes between 2,000

微藻每英畝可在一年內生產兩千

and 5,000 gallons per acre per year,

至五千加侖的油

compared to the 50 gallons per acre per year from soy.

和黃豆的五十加侖產量相比差異很大

So what are microalgae? Microalgae are micro --

微藻是什麼? 微藻是微生物

that is, they're extremely small, as you can see here

也就是說，他們很微小

你可以看到這些單細胞生物

a picture of those single-celled organisms

compared to a human hair.

和頭髮大小相比的照片

Those small organisms have been around

這些微生物已經存在幾百萬年了

for millions of years and there's thousands

而且世界各地有上千種 不同種類的微藻

of different species of microalgae in the world,

some of which are the fastest-growing plants on the planet,

其中有些是世界上生長最快的植物

and produce, as I just showed you, lots and lots of oil.

而且如我剛剛所說的 可以生產很多很多油

Now, why do we want to do this offshore?

那為什麼我們選擇在沿岸做這個計劃?

Well, the reason we're doing this offshore is because

選擇在都市沿岸的原因在於

if you look at our coastal cities, there isn't a choice,

如果你觀察沿海都市 會發現其實別無選擇

because we're going to use waste water, as I suggested,

這是因為如我剛剛提到 我們將利用廢水

and if you look at where most of the waste water

如果你看看我們的廢水處理廠的位置

treatment plants are, they're embedded in the cities.

它們都在城市附近

This is the city of San Francisco, which has 900 miles

這是舊金山

它地底已埋了總長 約九百英里的廢水管

of sewer pipes under the city already,

and it releases its waste water offshore.

並將這些廢水排放到海裡

So different cities around the world treat their waste water

世界各地的都市 處理廢水的方式各有不同

differently. Some cities process it.

有些都市會加以處理

Some cities just release the water.

有些都市會直接排放

But in all cases, the water that's released is

但是無論如何，排出的廢水

perfectly adequate for growing microalgae.

對於提供微藻生長是完全沒問題的

那我們想想這個系統會長什麼樣子

So let's envision what the system might look like.

We call it OMEGA, which is an acronym for

我們叫它OMEGA

Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing Algae.

它是「沿岸微藻生長包膜」的縮寫

At NASA, you have to have good acronyms.

在NASA，有好的縮寫是很重要的

So how does it work? I sort of showed you how it works already.

它將如何運作? 我剛剛已經敘述了大概

We put waste water and some source of CO2

我們輸入廢水和某二氧化碳源

into our floating structure,

進入這些漂浮的結構中

and the waste water provides nutrients for the algae to grow,

然後廢水提供微藻生長所需的養分

and they sequester CO2 that would otherwise go off

而微藻消耗並固著二氧化碳

into the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas.

減少溫室氣體

They of course use solar energy to grow,

它們當然是利用太陽能生長

and the wave energy on the surface provides energy

然後海浪會提供動能混合藻類

for mixing the algae, and the temperature

而溫度將會由周圍的水溫所控制

is controlled by the surrounding water temperature.

The algae that grow produce oxygen, as I've mentioned,

就如我所提的，藻類將生產氧氣

and they also produce biofuels and fertilizer and food and

它們也會生產生物燃料和肥料、食物

other bi-algal products of interest.

以及其他藻類生物副產品

And the system is contained. What do I mean by that?

而且這整個系統是自我封閉的 這是什麼意思?

It's modular. Let's say something happens that's

它是模組化的 假設其中一個單元

totally unexpected to one of the modules.

出乎意料外的停擺

It leaks. It's struck by lightning.

它漏水了，或被閃電擊中

The waste water that leaks out is water that already now

流出來的廢水是原本 就會被排放到海域的

goes into that coastal environment, and

而那些藻類是會自然分解的

the algae that leak out are biodegradable,

and because they're living in waste water,

正因它們原本存於廢水中

they're fresh water algae, which means they can't

它們是淡水藻，這意味著

live in salt water, so they die.

它們無法於鹹水中生存，所以會死去

The plastic we'll build it out of is some kind of

我們將使用的塑膠材料

well-known plastic that we have good experience with, and

是一種廣泛使用的材料，效果良好

we'll rebuild our modules to be able to reuse them again.

而且我們將設計這些模組 使之能重複使用

So we may be able to go beyond that when thinking about

所以我們有可能超越現況思考

來考慮這個系統的用途，我的意思是

this system that I'm showing you, and that is to say

we need to think in terms of the water, the fresh water,

我們需要考慮淡水的問題

which is also going to be an issue in the future,

淡水在未來將會是個急迫的課題

and we're working on methods now

所以我們現在正研究開發

for recovering the waste water.

重複利用廢水的方法

The other thing to consider is the structure itself.

另外需要考慮的一點是架構本身

It provides a surface for things in the ocean,

它將在海洋中為生物提供表面積

and this surface, which is covered by seaweeds

這些表面會被海藻

and other organisms in the ocean,

還有海洋中的其他生物佔滿

will become enhanced marine habitat

它將提升海洋的棲地生態

so it increases biodiversity.

並增加生物多樣性

And finally, because it's an offshore structure,

最後，因為它是在海岸邊的架構

we can think in terms of how it might contribute

我們可以想像它如何能夠增進

to an aquaculture activity offshore.

海岸的水產養殖活動

So you're probably thinking, "Gee, this sounds

所以你大概在想 "天啊，這聽起來真是個好主意"

like a good idea. What can we do to try to see if it's real?"

"我們如何試試看它能否成真?"

Well, I set up laboratories in Santa Cruz

我已在聖塔克魯茲設立實驗室

at the California Fish and Game facility,

在加州漁獵部的場地

and that facility allowed us to have big seawater tanks

那裡有設施提供我們 設立大型的海水箱

to test some of these ideas.

來測試這些想法

We also set up experiments in San Francisco

我們同時於舊金山設立實驗

at one of the three waste water treatment plants,

在那三個廢水處理廠其中之一

again a facility to test ideas.

一樣來試驗我們的提案

And finally, we wanted to see where we could look at

最後，我們想看看要在哪裡

what the impact of this structure would be

能夠測試這個架構對海洋環境的影響

in the marine environment, and we set up a field site

所以我們設立了一個野地實驗

at a place called Moss Landing Marine Lab

在一個叫 Moss Landing 海洋實驗室的地方

in Monterey Bay, where we worked in a harbor

位於蒙特利灣，我們在海港內實驗

to see what impact this would have on marine organisms.

看看這對海洋生物的影響會是什麼

The laboratory that we set up in Santa Cruz was our skunkworks.

在聖塔克魯茲的實驗室 是我們的開發中心

It was a place where we were growing algae

我們在那裡培養藻類

and welding plastic and building tools

融合塑膠、建造工具

and making a lot of mistakes,

和出了很多差錯

or, as Edison said, we were

或是如愛迪生所說的

finding the 10,000 ways that the system wouldn't work.

我們正發現這系統 無法運作的一萬個原因

Now, we grew algae in waste water, and we built tools

所以我們在廢水中養微藻 並設計工具

that allowed us to get into the lives of algae

讓我們能夠融入藻類生活

so that we could monitor the way they grow,

密切監測它們成長的方式

what makes them happy, how do we make sure that

看如何讓它們開心生活

we're going to have a culture that will survive and thrive.

以確保我們培養的藻類能夠生存茁壯

So the most important feature that we needed to develop were these

而我們最迫切需要設計的東西

so-called photobioreactors, or PBRs.

是這些生物光合反應器 我們簡稱PBR (photobioreactor)

These were the structures that would be floating at the

這些就是將會漂浮於海面的結構

surface made out of some inexpensive plastic material

用某種便宜的塑膠材料製作

that'll allow the algae to grow, and we had built lots and lots

使微藻能在其中成長

而我們也做了許多不同的設計 大多都是失敗的作品

of designs, most of which were horrible failures,

and when we finally got to a design that worked,

當我們找到一個成功的設計

at about 30 gallons, we scaled it up

在約三十加侖的大小

to 450 gallons in San Francisco.

我們在舊金山把它放大到450加侖測驗

So let me show you how the system works.

讓我告訴你這系統如何運作

We basically take waste water with algae of our choice in it,

基本上，我們採用的廢水裡 內含經過挑選的藻類

and we circulate it through this floating structure,

並將之循環通過這個漂浮的結構

this tubular, flexible plastic structure,

這個管狀、有彈性的塑膠結構

and it circulates through this thing,

然後它將在這裡面循環

and there's sunlight of course, it's at the surface,

當然，太陽光會照在表面

and the algae grow on the nutrients.

然後藻類吸取養份成長

But this is a bit like putting your head in a plastic bag.

但這有點像把你的頭塞到塑膠袋裡

The algae are not going to suffocate because of CO2,

雖然藻類並不會像我們一樣 因二氧化碳而窒息

as we would.

They suffocate because they produce oxygen, and they

但它們會因製造的氧氣而窒息

don't really suffocate, but the oxygen that they produce

它不是真的會窒息 但是它們產生的氧氣是個問題

is problematic, and they use up all the CO2.

因為它們會把二氧化碳用完

So the next thing we had to figure out was how we could

所以我們的下一步便是想辦法移除氧氣

remove the oxygen, which we did by building this column

我們加了這個柱狀體

which circulated some of the water,

用來循環部分的水

and put back CO2, which we did by bubbling the system

並重新加入二氧化碳，我們再循環水之前

before we recirculated the water.

灌注氣泡在裡頭，解決問題

And what you see here is the prototype,

你再這裡看見的是設計原型

which was the first attempt at building this type of column.

是我們第一次試著建造這個柱狀物

The larger column that we then installed in San Francisco

我們將大型的柱狀結構安裝於舊金山

in the installed system.

在我們安裝的系統裡

So the column actually had another very nice feature,

這個柱狀的構造還有一個優點

and that is the algae settle in the column,

就是藻類會沉澱到柱子底部

and this allowed us to accumulate the algal biomass

這使我們能夠累積微藻體積

in a context where we could easily harvest it.

並方便收成

So we would remove the algaes that concentrated

我們可以將累積於柱子底部的微藻移除

in the bottom of this column, and then we could

然後讓它漂浮在水中 再用網子從表面撈取

harvest that by a procedure where you float the algae

to the surface and can skim it off with a net.

以大量收成

So we wanted to also investigate what would be the impact

我們也想要了解這個結構

of this system in the marine environment,

對於海洋環境的影響

and I mentioned we set up this experiment at a field site

而我之前提到我們有實際於野外實驗

in Moss Landing Marine Lab.

就在 Moss Landing 海洋實驗室裡

Well, we found of course that this material became

我們理所當然地發現這些材料

會被海藻覆蓋

overgrown with algae, and we needed then to develop

所以我們需要設計一個清潔的方法

a cleaning procedure, and we also looked at how

我們也觀察海洋哺乳類 和鳥類與此的互動

seabirds and marine mammals interacted, and in fact you

see here a sea otter that found this incredibly interesting,

你可以看到一隻海獺 對這個挺感興趣的

and would periodically work its way across this little

牠不時在這個迷你水床中穿梭

floating water bed, and we wanted to hire this guy

我們好想要雇用這個小傢伙

or train him to be able to clean the surface

或訓練牠幫我們清理 這些結構表面之類的

of these things, but that's for the future.

但那是未來的事

Now really what we were doing,

所以我們真正在做的是

we were working in four areas.

我們於四個方面進行研究

Our research covered the biology of the system,

我們的研究範圍包含 這個系統的生物方面

which included studying the way algae grew,

像是研究藻類的生長方式

but also what eats the algae, and what kills the algae.

什麼東西會吃掉微藻 還有什麼東西會殺死它

We did engineering to understand what we would need

我們於工程方面了解我們需要什麼材料

to be able to do to build this structure,

來建造整個結構

not only on the small scale, but how we would build it

不止是小規模，而是如何建造

on this enormous scale that will ultimately be required.

我們最終需要的極大規模成品

I mentioned we looked at birds and marine mammals

我有提到我們研究鳥類和海洋哺乳類

and looked at basically the environmental impact

並全面評估它的環境影響

of the system, and finally we looked at the economics,

最後我們解決經濟方面的問題

and what I mean by economics is,

我所指的經濟是

what is the energy required to run the system?

這系統需要多少能源來運作?

Do you get more energy out of the system

你能夠從系統提出

than you have to put into the system

比所輸入的還要更多能源嗎?

to be able to make the system run?

And what about operating costs?

它的運作成本多少?

And what about capital costs?

它需要多少資本?

And what about, just, the whole economic structure?

它整體的經濟架構穩固嗎?

So let me tell you that it's not going to be easy,

讓我告訴你，這不會是簡單的事

and there's lots more work to do in all four

我們在這四個方面 都還有很多努力空間

of those areas to be able to really make the system work.

才有辦法讓這個系統真正運作

But we don't have a lot of time, and I'd like to show you

但是我們時間不多，所以我想給你看

the artist's conception of how this system might look

我們預計這個系統將會如何呈現

if we find ourselves in a protected bay

於一個想像的海灣

somewhere in the world, and we have in the background

在世界的某處，在背景中

in this image, the waste water treatment plant

可見廢水處理廠

and a source of flue gas for the CO2,

以及提供二氧化碳的排氣煙囪

but when you do the economics of this system,

但是當你算算系統的經濟收支

you find that in fact it will be difficult to make it work.

你會發現僅這樣是很難運作的

Unless you look at the system as a way to treat waste water,

除非你把這系統想成 廢水處理的替代方式

sequester carbon, and potentially for photovoltaic panels

並有固碳、結合太陽發電

or wave energy or even wind energy,

或是海潮發電、風力發電等可能性

and if you start thinking in terms of

如果你開始思考

integrating all of these different activities,

如何結合各式各樣的活動

you could also include in such a facility aquaculture.

你也可以在這個系統加入水產養殖

So we would have under this system a shellfish aquaculture

像是在這個系統底下 我們有貝類養殖

where we're growing mussels or scallops.

可以養殖淡菜或扇貝

We'd be growing oysters and things

我們可以養殖生蠔等等

that would be producing high value products and food,

可以提高經濟價值的食物和產品

and this would be a market driver as we build the system

然後利用這點來刺激市場

to larger and larger scales so that it becomes, ultimately,

慢慢把系統越做越大，直到最後

competitive with the idea of doing it for fuels.

將之作為生產生物燃料來源的理由 才有競爭力

So there's always a big question that comes up,

還有一個問題常常浮現

because plastic in the ocean has got a really bad reputation

就是塑膠在海洋中一直有很不好的聲譽

right now, and so we've been thinking cradle to cradle.

因此，我們用綠色經濟概念觀點思考

What are we going to do with all this plastic that we're

我們要如何處理這些

going to need to use in our marine environment?

我們需要在海洋環境中運用的塑膠?

Well, I don't know if you know about this,

我不知道你有沒有聽說這事

but in California, there's a huge amount of plastic

但是在加州，有大量的塑膠

that's used in fields right now as plastic mulch,

現在正被利用於農田中 當作塑膠覆蓋物

and this is plastic that's making these tiny little greenhouses

塑膠在土壤表面形成極小的溫室

right along the surface of the soil, and this provides

warming the soil to increase the growing season,

它可以提高土壤表面溫度 以延長生長季節

it allows us to control weeds,

並讓農夫能夠控制雜草

and, of course, it makes the watering much more efficient.

當然，它也能提高灌溉效率

So the OMEGA system will be part

所以OMEGA系統 也將能發揮類似的功用

of this type of an outcome, and that when we're finished

所以當我們於海洋環境的作法成功後

using it in the marine environment, we'll be using it,

hopefully, on fields.

將會將它利用於農田中

Where are we going to put this,

那我們到底要把這個系統放哪?

and what will it look like offshore?

它在海岸線會長什麼樣子?

Here's an image of what we could do in San Francisco Bay.

這個影像是將這套系統 用於舊金山灣的樣子

San Francisco produces 65 million gallons a day

舊金山一天製造6500萬加侖的廢水

of waste water. If we imagine a five-day retention time

如果我們假設這系統的保水時間是五天

for this system, we'd need 325 million gallons

我們將需要容納3.25億加侖才能容納

to accomodate, and that would be about 1,280 acres

差不多是1280英畝大的OMEGA系統

of these OMEGA modules floating in San Francisco Bay.

漂浮在舊金山灣中

Well, that's less than one percent

其實那不到舊金山灣面積的百分之一

of the surface area of the bay.

It would produce, at 2,000 gallons per acre per year,

若以每年每英畝兩千加侖計算

it would produce over 2 million gallons of fuel,

它將生產大於兩百萬加侖的生物燃料

which is about 20 percent of the biodiesel,

約等於舊金山生物柴油 或一般柴油需求量的20%

or of the diesel that would be required in San Francisco,

and that's without doing anything about efficiency.

而且這還是尚未加強效率的計算

Where else could we potentially put this system?

我們還可以把這系統放在哪裡?

There's lots of possibilities.

可能性很多

There's, of course, San Francisco Bay, as I mentioned.

像我之前提到，有舊金山灣

San Diego Bay is another example,

聖地牙哥灣是另一個例子

Mobile Bay or Chesapeake Bay, but the reality is,

莫比爾灣或是切薩皮克灣，但事實是

as sea level rises, there's going to be lots and lots

隨著海平面上升 將會有許多的新機會

of new opportunities to consider. (Laughter)

(笑聲)

So what I'm telling you about is a system

所以我現在向各位描述的是

of integrated activities.

一個整合各種活動的系統

Biofuels production is integrated with alternative energy

生物燃料結合替代能源

is integrated with aquaculture.

結合水產養殖

I set out to find a pathway

我一開始是為了尋找一個

to innovative production of sustainable biofuels,

能夠永續生產生物燃料的創新方法

and en route I discovered that what's really required

而在這過程中 我發現達到永續經營真正需要的

for sustainability is integration more than innovation.

不是創新，而是整合現有的系統

Long term, I have great faith

長遠來看，我有信心

in our collective and connected ingenuity.

我們的集體智慧能夠激出火花

I think there is almost no limit to what we can accomplish

我相信，幾乎沒有東西 能限制我們能達成的成就

if we are radically open

只要我們積極求新

and we don't care who gets the credit.

且不在乎最後功歸於何人

Sustainable solutions for our future problems

解決我們未來難題的永續方案

are going to be diverse

將會是多元化的

and are going to be many.

並有許多可能

I think we need to consider everything,

我認為我們需要考慮所有方面

everything from alpha to OMEGA.

自 alpha (希臘字母的第一個) 至 OMEGA (最後一個)

Thank you. (Applause)

謝謝 (掌聲)

(Applause)

(掌聲)

Chris Anderson: Just a quick question for you, Jonathan.

克里斯．安德森(CA)： 強納森，我有個問題

Can this project continue to move forward within

這個計畫可以持續在NASA內部進行

NASA or do you need some very ambitious

還是你們現在需要有企圖心的綠能基金

green energy fund to come and take it by the throat?

來注入資金並促使它完成?

強納森．特倫特(JT)： 現在已發展到的階段是

Jonathan Trent: So it's really gotten to a stage now

in NASA where they would like to spin it out into something

NASA 有意願將這個系統實際

which would go offshore, and there are a lot of issues

在海岸操作，但是在美國境內

with doing it in the United States because of limited

有許多問題因為有許多許可限制

permitting issues and the time required to get permits

並且申請於外海作業的許可過程冗長

to do things offshore.

It really requires, at this point, people on the outside,

所以現在真正需要外界人士

and we're being radically open with this technology

而我們也很前衛的開放這個技術

in which we're going to launch it out there

我們基本上就要把它推出去

for anybody and everybody who's interested

給所有感興趣的人

to take it on and try to make it real.

都可以試著把它實踐

CA: So that's interesting. You're not patenting it.

CA：這真有趣 你們並不要把它變成專利

You're publishing it.

你們要將之發表

JT: Absolutely.

CA: All right. Thank you so much.

JT：一點也沒錯

CA：非常好，謝謝你

JT: Thank you. (Applause)

JT：謝謝 (掌聲)