transformation of a world powered by dirty fossil fuels, to a planet that gets its energy

地球的轉變：由一開始使用高污染的石化燃料發電，到利用

from renewable, clean sources. It’s going to happen just once, right now. These are

潔淨再生能源，這歷史性的轉變現正如火如荼地進行著。以下介紹

the top 10 potential energy sources of tomorrow.

前十大最具發展潛力的再生能源明日之星。

Every hour, more energy from the sun reaches us than we earthlings use in an entire year.

太陽每小時發送到地球的熱能遠超過人類一整年的能源用量，

To try and save a lot more of it, one idea is to build giant solar farms in space that

為了保留更多熱能，其中一個方法是建造大型的太空太陽能電廠，

will collect some of the higher intensity, uninterrupted solar radiation. Giant mirrors

用來收集連續且高能量的太陽能。巨大的鏡面設備

would reflect huge amounts of solar rays onto smaller solar collectors. This energy would

可將大量的輻射線反射至較小的太陽能收集器，接著，收集來的能量

then be wirelessly beamed to Earth as either a microwave or laser beam. One of the main

會以微波或雷射傳送至地球。然而，這個想法

reasons this amazing idea is still just an idea is because it’s, big surprise, very

仍未實現，最主要當然是因為

expensive. But it could become a reality in the not so distant future as our solar technology

成本太昂貴了；但很快地，太空電廠將不再是夢想，因為太陽能科技

develops, and the cost of launching cargo into space comes way down, thanks to the work

日新月異、運輸貨物到太空的成本也大幅降低，這都得歸功於

of companies like Space X.

Space X這類公司（註：太空探索科技公司，創於2002年）。

We already have human-powered devices,

目前我們已經擁有人力發電裝置，

but scientists are working on harvesting power generated from normal human movement. We’re

但科學家想要找出如何利用人體擺動來產生電力，

talking about tiny electronics here, but the potential when multiplied by billions of people

雖然這裡指的是極小型的裝置，但若由數十億人口驅動，

is big. And with developers making electronics that use less and less power, one day your

結果將極為可觀。況且，電子產品開發趨於不耗電，將來，

phone may charge when it rustles around in your pocket, your bag in your hand,

把手機放在口袋或背包裡摩擦，或光拿在手上都可以充電，

your fingers move on the screen. At Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, scientists have

甚至連手指觸控也行。美國伯克利國家實驗室

even demonstrated a device that uses viruses to translate pressure into electricity. Yes,

已經成功證實如何利用病毒將壓力轉換成電力。沒錯！

it’s amazing as it sounds and no, there’s no way I’m going to try and explain how

這很酷炫，但很抱歉，我不打算詳細介紹背後的原理；

it works--of course it’s linked below if you want more info. There are even small body-worn

若想知道更多資訊請見下方連結。另外，有些小型穿戴式裝置

systems that passively produce electricity when you move. Human power isn’t going to

能在人體擺動時自給自足產生電力。雖然人體發電無法

solve global warming, but every little bit helps.

完全解決全球暖化，但總是不無小補。

Harnessing all the energy in the motion of the ocean could power the world several times

若能駕馭海流來發電，將足以加倍供給全球多餘的電力，

over, which is why over 100 companies are trying to figure out how. Because of the focus

因此才會有多達上百家公司前來挖掘這塊市場。但初期的再生能源發展

on wind and solar, the tidal energy industry kind of got elbowed out of the early mix.

多著重風力及太陽能發電，使得潮汐發電受到忽視；

But these systems are quickly becoming more efficient. For one, meet Oyster, a 2.4 megawatt

不過現在情況將大為改觀。首先，見過Oyster (註：位於北蘇格蘭的潮汐能水力發電機組)，

producing, hinged flap that attaches to the ocean floor and - as it opens and closes - pumps

機組可產生2.4兆瓦的電力，鉸接鋼瓣的底座固定在海床上，鋼瓣隨海浪拍打設備，

high-pressure water onshore, where it drives a conventional hydroelectric turbine. So,

將高壓水抽送到岸上，以驅動傳統的水輪機；

one of those could power a whole housing development or a couple massive residential towers--roughly

一組發電機便足以供給整個住宅區和幾棟高樓大廈，至少

2,500 homes. An engineer with the air force academy has created the terminator wing-shaped

2500戶人家的用電。一位擁有空軍背景的工程師甚至發明了一種翼狀

turbine that employs lift instead of drag, allowing it to theoretically harness 99% of

渦輪機，以升力為原理，理論上能有效利用99%的潮汐能，

a wave’s energy instead of the 50% that current tidal projects can get. And Perth,

遠超過目前只有50%利用效益的發電機組。而澳洲珀斯

Australia just got the world’s first-ever wave-powered desalination plant that provides

不久前才成功建造以潮汐發電的海水淡化工廠，

the city with enough drinking water for 500,000 residents.

足以供給全市約50萬戶居民的飲水。

The element hydrogen - by far the most abundant in the universe - is very high in energy,

氫是宇宙中含量最高的元素，也能產生極高的能量，

but an engine that burns pure hydrogen produces almost no pollution. This is why NASA ‘s

利用純氫氣燃燒的引擎幾乎零污染，這是為何NASA (註：國家航空暨太空總署)

powered its space shuttles and parts of the International Space Station with the stuff

多年來都用氫能驅動太空梭和國際太空站。

for years. The only reason we’re not powering the entire world with hydrogen is because

但之所以遲遲無法善用氫能是因為

it only exists on our planet in combination with other elements like oxygen. You know,

地球上氫元素並非單獨存在，必定會與其他元素結合，如氧，眾所周知，

good old H20. Russia even converted a passenger jet to run on hydrogen in the late 80’s

兩者結合為水。八零年代末，俄羅斯成功將一架客機轉換為氫能驅動，

and Boeing recently tested small planes that fly on hydrogen. Once the hydrogen is separated

波音近來也在測試小型氫能飛機。一旦氫氣被分離，

it can be pumped into mobile fuel cells in vehicles that are able to directly convert

即能抽送進汽車的動態燃料電池，直接轉換成

it into electricity. These cars are now being manufactured on a fairly large scale. Honda’s

電力，氫燃料車現正擴大量產，本田 (Honda)

planning on demonstrating the versatility of its new hydrogen fuel cell car by plugging

目前積極開拓氫燃料電池的用途，利用氫燃料電池供給

it into a model home in Japan to power the house--instead of the car sucking electricity

日本家庭用電，而非反過來以建築電力供給

from the building like its electric-powered competitors have to do. Honda says one of

電動車，其他車廠多停留在後者階段。本田表示，

these fully-fuelled cars could power an entire house for a whole week, or drive 300 miles

滿載的氫能車能供應一間房子整整七天的電力，或續航里程可達480公里以上；

without refuelling. The main obstacle right now is the relatively

目前面臨最大的難題是

high cost of these vehicles and the lack of hydrogen stations to refuel them, although

氫能車的成本居高不下，氫氣供給站也不足，

California now has plans for 70 of these stations across the state, South Korea’s expected

目前美國加州預計設立70座氫氣供給站，南韓

to have a total of 43 soon and Germany’s aiming for 100 by 2017.

與德國也預計在2017年前分別完成設立43座及100座供給站。

The method of converting the heat rising from the depths of the molten core of the earth

地球內部的熱源可以轉換成

into energy - also known as geothermal - powers millions of homes around the world, including

能源，稱作地熱發電，此一發電方式足以供應全世界上百萬戶用電，包括

the electricity usage for 27% of the Philippines and 30% in Iceland. But an Icelandic deep

菲律賓27%的用電量以及冰島30%的用量。近日冰島一項

drilling project may have recently discovered the holy grail when it hit a pocket of magma,

深層鑽探計劃更名副其實地挖到寶：機組鑽到岩漿庫，

which had only happened once before in Hawaii. The team pumped water down into the hole,

在此之前，只有在夏威夷鑽到過一次。研究小組將水注入地層，

which the scorching magma instantly vaporized to a record-setting 842 degrees fahrenheit.

一碰到地底攝氏450度的高溫，水會立刻汽化為蒸氣，

This highly pressurized steam increased the power output of the system tenfold, an amazing

高壓蒸氣能使系統產生比原來多十倍的電力，這項驚人的

success that should lead to a giant leap in the energy generating capabilities of geothermal

發現將帶領全球地熱發電技術

projects around the world.

躍進一大步。

Nuclear fission power plants are the traditional reactors that have been in use around the

核裂變反應爐在世界各地用來發電

world for decades and provide the US with about 20% of our electricity. They use something

已有數十年的歷史，例如在美國，核電廠供應20%的電力。多數反應爐為

called light-water technology to surround the fuel rods with water, which slows the

輕水反應爐，利用水包覆控制棒作為冷卻劑及慢化劑，這樣一來

neutrons and allow for a sustained nuclear reaction. Buuuut, the system is really inefficient--only

就能減緩反應速率；但這樣的發電系統效率極低，

5 percent of the uranium atoms in the rod get used up by the time it has to be removed.

控制棒抽出時，只有5%的鈾原子被有效利用，

All that unused, highly radioactive uranium just gets added to our growing stockpile of

剩下的高度放射性鈾原子就全部成了

nuclear waste. But now, finally, there appears to be another, more efficient way, called

核廢料。目前，科學家研發出另一種效能更高的反應爐，稱為

a fast reactor, where the rods are submerged in liquid sodium instead of water. This allows

快中子反應爐，以液態鈉取代水作為冷卻劑及慢化劑，這個方法

95 percent of the uranium to be used, instead of the unacceptably inefficient 5 percent.

使鈾原子利用率高達95%，取代了原本只有5%的低效利用率。

Adopting this method would solve the huge problem of getting rid of our 77,000 tons

後者若可行的話，將能解決近77000噸的

of radioactive waste because these new reactors can reuse it. GE Hitachi has already designed

核廢料，因為新的反應爐可以重複利用這些核廢料。美國奇異日立核能（GEH）已經研發出

a fast reactor called PRISM and is shopping it to power companies, but the biggest obstacle

新的快中子反應爐—PRISM，並銷售至各能源企業，然而一大難題是，

is the high cost of building new nuclear power plants. Plus, you have to overcome the political

新一代核能電廠建造成本過高；況且，許多人仍然

stigma that nuclear is a dangerous energy source. Still, the benefits are huge---Its

大力反對核能發電，認為風險太高。但核能的效益毋庸置疑，

a proven technology that emits pretty much no greenhouse gases. The big success story

而且絕對不會排放溫室氣體，最成功的例子見於

is France, which has 75% of its electricity needs met by its 59 nuclear power reactors.

法國境內59座核能電廠，供應全國75%的電力。

With production and installation costs getting cheaper by the day, solar power is taking

生產及安裝太陽能板的價格日益下降，太陽能科技開始

off around the world. Europe is the best in photovoltaics and is driven by its leader,

起飛，全世界皆如此，歐洲更是遙遙領先，尤其是

Germany. On an average sunny day in 2012, Deutschland got as much electricity from the

德國。2012年，德國平均日照天數供應的太陽能電力加總相當於

sun as 20 nuclear power stations, enough to power 50% of the country. Spain is now generating

20座核能電廠的發電量，足以供應全國一半的電力；西班牙也跟進，

more than 50% of its power from renewable resources like solar. A California desert

利用太陽能等再生能源供應全國半數以上的電力；加州的沙漠電廠

is home to the largest solar power station in the entire world, and the United States

更是全世界最大型的太陽能電廠，美國

increased its solar capacity by nearly 500% from 2010 to 2014. And if you think that that’s

自2010至2014年的太陽能電力因此成長近乎500%。若你認為此一技術

as fast as solar can possibly grow, listen to this. Researchers at the Los Alamos National

最多不過如此，那麼你就錯了。位於新墨西哥州的洛斯阿拉莫斯

Laboratory in New Mexico just made a significant breakthrough in quantum dot solar cell technology

國家實驗室近日有重大突破：使用量子點太陽能電池

that will allow highly efficient solar panels to double as transparent windows. When this

把透明窗戶做成太陽能板，發電效率可望翻倍，一旦

technology becomes cheap enough to hit the mass market in the next couple of years, every

技術成本降低，未來幾年市場將熱賣，

sun-exposed window in the world will have the potential to be converted into a mini

各地有陽光處都能使用這種窗戶來發電，成為迷你

power station.

電廠。

From 2002 to 2013, biofuels grew more than 500% in the U.S. as production of crop-derived

2002至2013年，美國生質能源成長超過500%，由作物提煉而成的

ethanol and biodiesel became a mainstream substitute or supplement to gasoline in our

乙醇及生質柴油成為車用石油的主流替代品；

cars. In fact, back in the day when Henry Ford first developed his Model T, he thought

事實上，早在亨利·福特推出T型車時，就想過

it would run on ethanol. The discovery of vast amounts of cheap oil all over the world

利用乙醇作為燃料，可惜的是，當時處處唾手可得的石油

unfortunately made it the go-to energy source. But renewable biofuels are making a strong

價格低廉，打消了福特的構思。現在，生質能源

comeback now. The only problem is that the currently dominant first generation of biofuels

將東山再起，目前面臨的窘境是第一代生質燃料的產地

use the same land and resources that have traditionally been used to grow food, which

本來用於生長糧食作物，改為生產生質燃料後，

is driving up the cost of food and causing big problems in a lot of the developing world,

糧食價格因此飆漲，對開發中國家造成莫大的衝擊，

so something has to change if biofuels are going to give us a chance at replacing oil

因此，必須改變生產方式，才能繼續使用乾淨無污染的

with something clean burning. That’s where a plant like switchgrass comes in. It’s

生質燃料。於是就有了「柳枝稷」這類植物的出現，

hearty, it grows like a weed just about anywhere, and it isn’t food. But, if we wanted to

柳枝稷像雜草般容易繁殖，草梗粗壯，而且不是糧食；不過，

run all the world’s cars on it, we’d need to plant it on an amount of land equivalent

若全世界的汽車都仰賴柳枝稷驅動的話，會需要

to the entire countries of Russia and the U.S., combined. So that’s not gonna work.

俄美兩國疆域相加的廣大面積來種植柳枝稷，這完全不可行。

This brings us to the 3rd generation of biofuels, algae, which has all the right ingredients

於是第三代為生質燃料誕生了—藻類，其中的成分

to replace oil once and for all. Algae’s natural oil content is greater than 50%, which

足以使藻類一勞永逸地取代石油，藻類內含50%以上的油脂，

means it can be easily extracted and processed. We can convert the remaining part of the plant

因此容易提煉轉換為生質燃料，剩下的成分亦可轉換為

into electricity, natural gas and even fertilizer to grow even more algae without chemicals.

電力、天然氣，或甚至作為自身生長的肥料，取代化學肥。

Algae grows quickly and doesn’t need farmland or freshwater. Just last month, Alabama became

藻類生長快速，無需大面積土地生長或太多水資源灌溉。就在上個月，美國阿拉巴馬州

the world’s first algae biofuel system that can also effectively treat human wastewater,

成立了全球第一座第一座藻類生質燃料廠，提煉燃料之餘還能有效淨化廢水，

this actually resulted in a carbon-negative outcome. The 40,000 a day demonstration plant

這是由於藻類的負碳作用而成。示範廠每日將四萬個

basically floated giant bags on a bay, pumped wastewater water into them, added a little

注滿廢水的巨大袋子投入海灣任意漂浮，放入一些藻類，

algae, and then let the sunlight do its thing. Before long, algae had grown everywhere and

接著，就讓藻類和陽光作用，不久後，藻類滋生各處，

cleaned the wastewater so well it could either be released back into the bay or reused by

消毒廢水，效果極佳，袋中的水甚至可以排回海灣或是

people as drinking water.

再度作為飲用水。

We’re already getting a lot of energy from the wind, but with the Buoyant Air Turbine

我們已利用風力發電生產不少能源，但浮力空中風機，

- or BAT - that floats 1-2,000 feet above the ground where winds are stronger and more

簡稱BAT，飄在300-600公尺左右的高空，強勁

consistent, we could soon be getting that energy much more efficiently. The system is

且源源不絕的風力能有效發電。BAT系統的原理

simple: a ringed blimp with a wind turbine in the middle is tethered securely to the

很簡單：洞型氣球懸吊著風力渦輪飄浮在半空中，利用纜線固定於

ground. It’ll produce twice as much power as similar sized tower-mounted turbines. It

地表，發電量相當於兩座高塔式渦輪風力發電機，

can even handle winds of more than 100 mph and can be fitted with additional devices

此外，還能接收大於160km/h的風速或加裝其他設備，

like a wifi unit, which would help bring the Internet to parts of the world that don’t

如Wifi發射器，這樣一來全世界還未有Wifi之處都可以享受

have it yet. The buoyant air turbine was designed for bringing renewable wind energy to rural

網路便利性。BAT的目的在於把再生風能送至偏遠地區，

parts of the world where building a traditional wind turbine was impossible and will first

因為這些地區通常很難建造傳統風力發電機。目前首座BAT

be deployed in Alaska. It can even automatically detect and adjust its floating height to where

將在阿拉斯加商用運轉。這個新式風機甚至能偵測風速，自動調整懸浮高度

the best wind speed is. When the wind speed is dangerously high, the thing will dock itself,

以利接收最完美的風速；比方說，當風速過高，風機就會自動下降，

eliminating the need for manual labor. Flying wind turbines like this should soon replace

省去人力。這種渦輪式風力發電機很快就會完全取代

all the less efficient tower-based systems and could allow for the construction of offshore

效率相對不彰的高塔式發電機，並建造離岸式

wind farms that have until now been really expensive to build.

風力電廠，屆時成本將大為降低。

Unlike fission, nuclear fusion doesn’t create any deadly nuclear waste because it fuses

核融合不像核裂變發電時會產生要命的核廢料，因為融合過程中

atoms together instead of splitting them apart, so there’s no threat of a runaway reaction

原子合二為一，而非分裂，所以不會有輻射外洩的危險，

that could lead to a meltdown event. But, this is easier said than done. One Nobel Prize-winning

也不會造成爐心熔毀。但核融合發電離現實仍有一段距離；一位諾貝爾物理

physicist described fusion as trying to put “the sun into a box. The idea is pretty.

得獎主曾這麼形容核融合：「將太陽放入盒子裡。」這個主意很棒，

The problem is, we don't know how to make the box." The technical issue is that fusion

可惜的是，目前還沒研發出怎麼製造這個「盒子」；但有個技術上的大難題：核融合

reactions will produce material that’s so volatile and hot, it will damage the reactor

反應會釋出極高溫且不穩定的物質，任何反應爐都會因此被

that created it. This isn’t stopping private companies and governments from spending billions

摧毀。但即便如此，私營企業和政府仍努力不懈，投入數十億資金

to research the technology and solve these problems. And if the immense challenges can

來研發解決方法；一旦他們克服所有艱鉅的困難，

be overcome, fusion will provide virtually limitless energy and power the world. That’s

核融合發電將能產生用之不竭的電力，供全世界使用。

why the world’s wealthiest governments are collaborating on the controversial International

正因如此，富裕國家的政府攜手合作，共同研發頗具爭議性的

Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor in France, known as ITER. When was the last time Russia,

國際熱核融合實驗反應爐，簡稱ITER。那麼多年來，何曾見過俄羅斯、

China, Europe and the United States collaborated on anything? That’s how important for humanity

中國、歐洲及美國站在同一陣線上？由此可見，核融合對全人類來說

this project is. And because of its revolutionary potential several powerful companies like

有多麼重要。核融合發電的潛在利益之大，幾家巨頭公司，

Lockheed Martin are quietly working on their own fusion reactors. Lockheed has a very optimistic

包括洛克希德·馬丁（註：美國航空航太製造廠商），都各自研發自用核融合反應爐，該公司

timeline for their system, projecting that they will meet global energy demand by 2050.

訂定了一項樂觀的發展計劃，表示2050年前絕對可以達成目標。

Their optimism may be fairly justified. In October, 2013, in separate research, scientists

洛克希德的樂觀是有根據的；2013年10月，在另一項研究中，

at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the United States achieved a huge milestone

美國勞倫斯利福摩爾國家實驗室為核融合矗立了全新的

in fusion when, for the first time, a fuel capsule gave off more energy than was applied

里程碑：科學家首次證實小粒的燃料能產生比吸收而來的能量更多的

to it.

輸出能量

Thank for watching. Let us know if we missed anything or if you disagreed with our rankings.

感謝收看，對於影片十大能源排序有任何問題，請給我們意見。

If you liked this video, help the conversation spread by sharing it. You can see a collection

喜歡這部影片的話，請轉發分享。下方有一系列

of our favorite videos from across the Internet back on our website, TDCvideo.com. For The

我們最受歡迎的影片，來源請見TDCvideo.com。

Daily Conversation, I’m Bryce Plank.

我是Bryce Plank，以上為The Daily Conversation。