all time lows, leading to hundreds of gigawatts worth of new renewable

使數以京瓦計的再生能源電力得以

energy generation.

產出。

As the saying goes though, the wind isn't always blowing and the sun isn't

雖然是這麼說沒錯，但與此同時，風不是一直在吹，太陽也不總是一直

always shining.If, for example, it's a beautiful sunny day and we've got a

普照。舉例來說，假設這是一個美好的晴天，我們看著

super abundance of electricity, we can't use it.

大量的太陽能源，但卻不能充分利用是怎樣的感覺。

The question of how to firm renewables, that is, ensuring there's always

問題是要怎麼在生活中穩定使用再生能源，也就是說，不論

energy on demand no matter the time of day or weather, is one of the

在一天中任何時間或者天氣如何都能確保有能源使用，是

biggest challenges in the industry.

產業界其中一個最大的挑戰。

We need a good way to store energy for later.

我們需要完備的儲能設備以供之後使用。

And the main option right now is lithium ion batteries.

而目前其中一個選擇是使用鋰離子電池。

You see them in products like Tesla's home battery, the Powerwall and

你可以看到類似的產品如特斯拉家用電池，電力牆以及

utility-scale system, the Powerpack.

大規模設施用電池系統，Powerpack。

But though lithium ion is dropping in price, experts say it will remain

但雖鋰離子電池價格不斷下降，專家說這對大規模電力上的應用來說

too expensive for most grid-scale applications.

仍顯太過昂貴。

To get to battery for the electrical grid, we need to look at a further

要能夠將電池應用在電力網上，我們還需要進一步

cost reduction of 10 to 20x.

將電池製造成本降低到目前的 10 到 20 分之一。

Right now, lithium ion batteries just can't store more than four hours

現在，鋰離子電池目前仍未能以合理的價格

worth of energy at a price point that would make sense.

儲存超過 4 小時等值的能源。

Plus, they pose a fire risk and their ability to hold a charge fades over

再者，仍然具有過熱失火以及電池儲能能力隨時間衰減

time. To address this, there's a cadre of entrepreneurs experimenting with a

等問題待解決。說到這個，有一堆菁英企業家正在實驗

variety of different solutions.

許多不同的解決方案。

Now we're seeing flow batteries, which are liquid batteries, and we're

我們現在看到的是流液電池，一種液態電池，而我們

seeing other forms of storage that are not chemical or battery-based

進一步看見其他非化學或者電池為基底的儲能方式。

storage. And each has serious potential.

而這每一種方式都具有非常大的發展潛力。

We looked at materials on the periodic table that were actually going to be

我們從一開始就在尋找元素週期表上

cost competitive from day one.

具有成本競爭力的物質。

Primus Power's flow battery is a workhorse.

Primus Power 的流液電池他們的主力產品。

Thermal energy storage has a pretty unique opportunity to be extremely low

熱能儲能裝置在以極低生產成本方式製造上具有獨特的機會。

cost.Our solution will last 30 plus years without any degradation in that

我們的解決方案能夠提供 30 年以上、不衰減的儲能表現。

performance.Which technologies prevail remains to be seen.

哪種科技會勝出還待分曉。

But one thing is clear.

但有件事情是明確的。

For renewables to truly compete with fossil fuels, we need to figure out a

對於能夠真正與化石燃料匹敵的再生能源，我們需要找到一個更佳的方法

better way to store energy.

來儲存能源。

From 2000 to 2018, installed wind power grew from 17,000 megawatts to over

從 2000 到 2018 年，風力發電量從 17,000 兆瓦到超過

563,000 megawatts.

563,000 兆瓦。

And solar power grew from a mere 1,250 megawatts to485,000 megawatts.

而太陽能發電量從僅僅只有 1,250 兆瓦增加到 485,000 兆瓦。

And it's not stopping there.

並且還在持續增加當中。

Renewables are expected to grow an additional 50 percent over the next

再生能源的使用預期會在未來的五年內增加 50%。

five years.We know today that solar P.V.

我們目前所知的光伏打太陽能

and wind are the least expensive way to generate electricity.

以及風能是所有電力生產方式當中最便宜的。

In particular, the price of solar photovoltaics has plummeted far faster

尤其是在 2000 年後期，中國以低廉的價格將太陽能板傾到至市場後

than all forecasts predicted, after China flooded the market with cheap

光伏打太陽能價格下降的速度

panels in the late 2000s.

遠遠超過所有過去的預估值。

All the Wall Street analysts did not believe that solar was going to ever

華爾街所有的分析師都對於太陽能

stand on its own without subsidies.

能夠不受補助地發展感到難以置信。

Well, a few years later, even the most conservative analysts started

然而，過了幾年，就連最保守的分析師都開始

realizing that actually solar was going to become economic in most parts of

意識到太陽能的確會快速地在世界大部分的地區

the world pretty quickly.

具有經濟價值。

And as solar has gotten cheaper, so too have lithium ion batteries, the

而隨著太陽能變得更便宜，用來推動電動車、我們的手機和電腦的

technology that powers electric vehicles, our cell phones and laptops.

鋰離子電池價格也呈現類似發展。

And thanks to improved manufacturing techniques and economies of scale,

多虧了製造技術的改進以及達到了生產的經濟規模，

costs have fallen 85 percent since 2010.

從 2010 以降，電池價格下降了 85%。

Now, wind or solar plus battery storage is oftentimes more economical than

現在，風能或太陽能加上電池儲能經常比尖峰負載發電廠來得更具經濟效應，

peaker plants, that is, power plants that only fire when demand is high.

也就是說，只在電需求高時運轉的稱為尖峰負載發電廠。

Tesla, for example, built the world's largest lithium ion battery in

舉例來說，特斯拉在澳洲建造世界上最大的鋰離子電池廠，

Australia, pairing it with a wind farm to deliver electricity during peak

並且將其鏈結風力發電廠來提供用電高峰期監所需電力。

hours. But this doesn't mean lithium ion is necessarily economical for

但這並不代表鋰離子電池就必然對於其他電力配置上同樣具有

other grid applications.

經濟效益。

We don't really see the cost structure coming down to the point where it

我們並未真正看到在現今的成本結構下降到了

can serve those tens to hundreds of hours applications.

能夠支撐數以千小時計的實際應用轉捩點。

Basically, the market is ripe for competition.

基本上，市場上是相當競爭的。

There are dozens of chemistry being looked at today.

至今仍可看見有相當多的替代的化學儲能方法。

There are hundreds of companies working on scaling up and manufacturing

有數以百計的公司努力拚產量和製造

new battery technology.

新的電池科技。

Lithium ion has done remarkable things for technology, but let's go to

鋰離子電池在科技上有重大貢獻，但我們來看看

something far better.

一些更好的技術。

One of the main alternatives being explored is a flow battery.

其中發展的一個替代方案稱為流液電池。

Unlike lithium ion, flow batteries store liquid electrolyte in external

與鋰離子電池不同的是，流液電池儲存液態電解質在外部

tanks, meaning the energy from the electrolyte and the actual source of

槽體中，也就是說，電解液的能源和真正產生

power generation are decoupled.

電力的來源是區隔開來的。

With lithium ion tech, the electrolyte is stored within the battery

而鋰離子電池技術，電解液儲存在電池本身結構當中。

itself. Electrolyte chemistries vary, but across the board, these aqueous

電解液的化學反應各有不同，但以全國的現況來看，這些液態

systems don't pose a fire risk and most don't face the same issues with

系統並沒有失火的風險，並且並沒有面臨道鋰離子隨著電池容量隨時間遞減的

capacity fade. Once they scale up their manufacturing, these companies say

問題。一但這些流液電池公司進入量產，宣稱可以在

they'll be price competitive with lithium ion.

價格上與鋰離子電池一較高下。

Hayward, California-based Primus Power has been working in this space since

一家奠基於加州 Hayward 的公司 Primus Power 已經從 2009 年開始涉入

2009, and uses a zinc bromide chemistry.

利用溴化鋅化學反應的電池之電力系統領域。

So far it's raised over $100 million dollars in funding, including a number

到目前為止他們已經募集了超過一億美元，數個政府單位

of government grants from agencies like the Department of Energy and the

像是能源部以及加州能源局

California Energy Commission.

已經核准上市。

Primus's modular EnergyPod provides 25 kilowatts of power, enough to power

Primus 的 EnergyPod 模組可提供 25 千瓦電力，足以提供

five to seven homes for five hours during times of peak energy demand and

五至七個家庭在能源需求巔峰時使用五小時，而在離峰時間使用

for 12 to 15 hours during off-peak hours.

12 到 15 小時。

Most systems use multipleEnergyPods though, to further boost capacity.

多數系統將數個 EnergyPod 串接同時使用，進而增加電力容量。

The company says what sets it apart is its simplified system.

這家公司表示這個系統的優異之處在於它是一個簡化版的系統。

So instead of two tanks, which every other flow battery has, Primus only

相較於流液電池使用兩個儲存槽室，Primus 的系統只使用一個。

has one. And we are able to separate the electrochemical species by taking

且我們能夠利用溴化鋅和溴具有不同密度的特性來

advantage of the density differences between the zinc bromine and the

分離電化學特性不同的元素

bromine itself, and the more aqueous portion of that electrolyte.

以及電解液中的液態的部分。

To date, Primus has shipped 25 of its battery systems to customers across

至今，在全美及亞洲，包括聖地牙哥軍事基地、微軟和

the U.S. and Asia, including a San Diego military base, Microsoft and a

一個中國風力發電機扇葉製造公司在內，

Chinese wind turbine manufacturer.

Primus 已經出貨 25 個電池系統到客戶手中。

It expects to ship an additional 500 systems over the next two years.

預期將在未來兩年將增加 500 組的交貨量。

Future customers are either independent power producers that are doing

未來的客戶可能是以太陽能加上能源儲存設備提供設施規模或者更大型商業企業等級使用

solar plus storage at utility-scale or larger commercial enterprises.

的獨立電力生產公司。

Also operating in this space is ESS Inc, an Oregon-based manufacturer of

在 2011 年於奧瑞岡州成立的製造商

iron flow batteries, founded in 2011.

EES 公司，也在這個領域中發展。

Its systems are larger than Primus Power's.

它們的系統比 Primus 電力的還要來得更大。

They're basically batteries in a shipping container and they can provide

基本上就是一個巨大電池裝載貨櫃當中，能夠提供

anywhere from100 kilowatts of power for four hours to 33 kilowatts for 12

從提供持續 4 小時 100 千瓦電力到持續提供 12 小時 33 千瓦電力的產品都有，

hours, using an electrolyte made entirely of iron, salt and water.

內部使用的電解液由鐵、鹽類以及水組成。

When we came into this market, we wanted to come into it with a technology

當我們進入這個市場，我們想要引入對環境非常友善

that was going to be very environmentally friendly.

的科技。

It was going to be very low cost.

這成本將會是相當低廉的。

It didn't require a lot of volume on the production line to drive down

不需要大量的產線提高產能來降低成本。

costs.ESS is backed by some major players like SoftBank Energy, the Bill

ESS 背後有許多大型的贊助者如軟銀能源、比爾蓋茲大力投資的

Gates-led investor fund, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and insurance

Breakthrough Energy Ventures，以及

company Munich Re.

保險公司 Munich Re。

Having an insurance policy is a big deal, since it will make risk-averse

附帶有保險相關的政策是十分重要的，因為這將會使有風險趨避

utility companies much more likely to partner with it.

觀念的公司更有誘因參與合作計畫。

So far, ESS has six of its systems, called Energy Warehouses, operating in

至目前，ESS 擁有六套稱為能源倉庫的系統正在服役，

the field and plans to install 20 more this year.

更計劃在今年新增 20 個系統。

It's also in the process of developing its Energy Center, which is aimed

公司也正在發展他的能源中心計畫，目標針對

at utility-scale applications in the 100 megawatt plus range.

使用 100 兆瓦以上電力的設施等級提供服務。

That would be 1,000 times more power than a single Energy Warehouse.

能源中心將比能源倉庫可提供的電力多出 1000 倍。

We're planning to be at 250 megawatt hours of production capacity by the

我們計畫在今年內

end of this year, which is probably a little over 10 times the capacity we

達成產能至 250 兆瓦小時 ，也就是比我們去年的產能多出大概

had last year. And then eventually getting to a gigawatt hour of production

10 倍左右。而終極目標是在未來幾年內

capacity in the next couple of years.

達到 1 京瓦小時的產能。

So far, key customers includePacto GD, a private Brazilian energy supplier,

目前，我們主要的客戶包括 Pacto GD，一家巴西私人的能源供應商，以及

and UC San Diego.

UC San Diego。

But for all their potential, flow battery companies like Primus and ESS

但就他們目前發展潛力來看，製造流液電池的公司像是 Primus 和 ESS

Inc still aren't really designed to store energy for days or weeks on end.

仍然未設計出產品真正能夠維持數天或者數週的儲能系統。

Many of those flow battery technologies still suffer from the same

大多數的流液電池科技仍然苦於和一些基礎材料一樣，具有成本過高

fundamental materials cost challenges that make them incapable of getting

的問題，致使他們未能夠提升電池容量達到

to tens or hundreds of hours of energy storage capacity.

數十或者數百小時能儲能容量。

Other non-lithium ion endeavors, such as the M.I.T

其他非鋰離子電池的擁護者，如 M.I.T 技術移轉成立的公司

spinoff Ambri, face the same problem with longer-duration storage.

Ambri，也面對到無法產出更持久的儲能系統。

Form energy, a battery company with an undisclosed chemistry, is targeting

一間叫做 Form Energy 的電池公司，使用一種公開的化學製程，目標在於

the weeks or months-long storage market, but commercialization remains far

持續數週甚或數月長容量的市場，但離商業化距離還非常遙遠。

off. So other companies are taking different approaches entirely.

所以其他公司就採取截然不同的手段。

Currently, about 96 percent of the world's energy storage comes from one

近期，世界上約 96% 儲能系統來自於一種技術：

technology: pumped hydro.

抽蓄發電。

This system is pretty straightforward.

這個系統相當淺顯易懂。

When there's excess energy on the grid, it's used to pump water uphill to

當電力網有多餘的電力，就啟動抽水馬達把水抽到

a high-elevation reservoir.

水位較高的蓄水池或水庫。

Then when there's energy demand, the water is released, driving a turbine

而當電力需求吃緊時，把水庫的水釋放，帶動發動機葉片

as it flows into a reservoir below.

發電，並將水儲存在低處的水庫中。

But this requires a lot of land, disrupts the environment and can only

但這種方式需要佔用大量的土地、影響環境，必且只能在非常特定的地理

function in very specific geographies.

環境中使用。

Energy Vault, a gravity-based storage company founded in2017, was inspired

Energy Vault 是一家重力儲能系統公司，於 2017 年成立，他們受到下述這個概念所啟發

by the concept but thinks it can offer more.

且覺得這能夠帶來更多的貢獻。

And so we wanted to look at solving the storage problem with something much

所以我們著眼於一種對環境更友善、更低成本、更具經濟規模

more environmental, much more low cost, much more scalable, and something

且能夠快速進入場的方式來

that could be brought to market very quickly.

解決儲能問題。

Instead of moving water, Energy Vault uses cranes and wires to move35 ton

相較於抽蓄發電利用水來當作儲能單位，Energy Vault 使用天車和纜線來回移動

bricks up and down, depending on energy needs, in a process that's

35 噸重的磚塊，並且使用機器視覺軟體控制，可以隨著能源需求量

automated with machine vision software.

自動化的來做調整。

We have a system tower crane that's utilizing excess solar or wind to drive

我們有一個塔型天車系統，利用太陽能或者風能來驅動內建的馬達

motors and generators that lift and stack the bricks in a very specific

將磚塊照著一個指定的模式移動、堆疊。

sequence. Then when the power is needed from the grid, that same system

當電網需要能源時，系統會將磚塊

will lower the bricks and discharge the electricity.

由高處放置低處，釋放其中的位能轉換成電能。

This system is sized for utility-scale operation.

這套系統是為了設施大小等級的建築所設計的。

The company says a standard installation could include 20 towers,

公司表示一套標準系統安裝包含 20 座天車塔，

providing a total of 350 megawatt hours of storage capacity, enough to

總共提供 350 兆瓦小時的儲存容量，足以

power around 40,000 homes for 24 hours.

提供 40,000 戶家庭使用 24 小時。

Some of our customers are looking at very large deployments of multiple

某些我們的客戶正朝向發展複合系統

systems so that they'll have that power on demand for weeks and months and

以便滿足他們隨時可能需要的

whenever it's gonna be required.

數週和數月的能源需求。

The company recently received110 million dollars in funding from SoftBank

公司最近自軟體銀行願景基金接收到一億一千萬美元的

Vision Fund, and it's building out a test facility in Italy as well as a

融資，且開始在義大利建立測試機構，

plant for India's Tata Power Company.

並且替印度塔塔電力公司建造電廠。

But some say the sheer size of the operation means it just can't be a

但有些人說這種規模的計畫不能

replacement for chemical batteries.

夠取代化學式電池的地位。

Sounds very simple. However, the energy density in those systems are very

聽起來簡單。但是，這些系統的能源密度真的很低。

low. And so that's where we believe chemical-based storage still has an

所以這是為什麼我們認為化學是電池儲能系統仍然

advantage in terms of a footprint.

在於碳足跡的基礎上佔有相當的優勢。

You can't install a gravity-based system in the city, but you'd have to

你不能只是在城市安裝一個重力式儲能系統，你也需要

install it outside in the remote areas.

在偏遠地區佈局。

Then there's thermal storage.

然後要來看熱儲能系統。

It's still an emerging technology in this space, but it has the potential

這仍是一個正在發展中的科技領域，但是擁有潛力

to store energy for longer than flow batteries with a smaller footprint

以比流液電池儲存更長時間的能源量、

than gravity-based systems.

比重力式儲能系統更低的碳足跡儲能。

Berkeley, California-basedAntora Energy, founded in2017, is taking on this

2017 年在加州柏克萊設立的 Antora Energy，正挑戰這個

challenge. Basically, when there's excess electricity on the grid, that's

目標。基本上，當電力網有多餘電力，就能用來加熱

used to heat upAntora's cheap carbon blocks, which are insulated inside a

Antora 生產置放於絕緣容器中的廉價碳塊。

container. When needed, that heat is then converted back into electricity

當需要使用電力時，儲存的熱可以利用熱引擎

using a heat engine.

轉換回電能供使用。

Typically, this would be a steam or gas turbine.

一般來說，會使用到蒸氣渦輪或者燃氣渦輪扇葉。

But Briggs says this tech is just too expensive and has prevented thermal

但 Briggs 說這些科技太過昂貴致使熱儲能解決方案

storage solutions from working out in the past.

的發展在過去受到阻礙。

SoAntora has developed a novel type of heat engine called a

所以 Antora 發展了新型的熱引擎稱作熱光電式熱引擎，

thermophotovoltaic heat engine, or TPV for short, which is basically just a

簡稱 TPV，基本上是一個太陽能電池

solar cell, but instead of capturing sunlight and converting that to

但有別於捕捉陽光並轉換成電力，

electricity, this solar cell captures light radiated from the hot storage

這種太陽能電池捕捉自熱儲能介質輻射出來的光線，

medium and converts that to electricity.

並且轉換成電力。

So it's electricity in, electricity out, and it's stored in ultra-cheap

所以，就是單純的電力輸入、電力輸出，並且以

raw materials as heat in the meantime.

熱能這種超級便宜原料的形式儲存能源。

Recently, Antora received funding from a joint venture between the

近來，Antora 接受一個由能源局和殼牌合資公司融資，

Department of Energy and Shell, who are excited by the company's potential

這些單位對於 Antora 能夠提供數天或者數週長儲能系統的潛力

to provide days or weeks-long storage.

都感到十分興奮。

We think that that solves a need that is currently and will continue to be

我們認為這能夠解決我們目前的需求，並且能夠繼續

unmet by lithium ion batteries and that will sort of enable the next wave

補足鋰離子電池系統未能滿足的需求量且將會讓下一波電力系統與

of integration of renewables on the grid.

再生能源的整合得以推動下去。

It's still early days forAntora and Energy Vault though, and there's

這仍然只是 Antora 和 Energy Vault 剛起步而已，

definitely other creative solutions in the mix.

絕對會有其他具創意的解決方案會陸續推出。

For example, Toronto-basedHydrostor is converting surplus electricity into

舉例來說，一間在多倫多奠基的公司 Hydrostor 將剩餘電力轉換成

compressed air. And U.K.

壓縮空氣。而在英、美扎根的

and U.S.-based Highview Power is pursuing cryogenic storage.

公司 Highview Power 追求低溫儲能系統的發展。

That is, using excess energy to cool down air to the point where it

也就是說，用剩餘能源冷卻空氣到凝結點

liquefies. These ideas may seem far out, but investment is pouring in and

轉換成液態空氣。這個點子看起來遙不可及，但大量的投資自世界各地挹注

projects are being piloted around the world.

且類似的計畫片地開花地開展。

While these companies are all vying to be the cheapest, safest and longest

當這些公司全都競相成為最便宜、最安全以及持續力最長

lasting, many also recognize that this is a market with many niches, and

的能源儲存系統提供者時，許多人也意識到這是個有巨大利基的市場，

therefore the potential for multiple winners.

也因此有創造多位贏家的潛力。

In the residential and commercial areas, you're gonna have a certain type

在住宅及商業區，你將會使用某些形式的科技。

of technology. A lot of it will probably be battery-based.

大多數可能是以化學式儲能為主的系統。

I think as you get to utility-scale and grid-scale, you're going to see

我認為當系統發展到設施等級和電力網等級的規模時，你將會看到

some batteries, you're going to see other types of compressed air and

部分由電池，部分由其他形式如壓縮空氣和液態空氣所組成的解決方案，