2006年VOA标准英语-Wind Power, a Great Reserve

By Zulima Palacio
Washington, DC
24 April 2006
 
watch Wind Power report
 
  
  
It is estimated that the world's consumption of energy will increase by 60 percent over the next 20 years. Today half of U.S. electricity is generated by coal, which is responsible for over 80 percent of carbon dioxide emissions¹, a main contributor to global warming. The search is on for alternative energy sources. VOA's  Zuli Palacio reports that one answer is blowing in the wind.  Melinda Smith narrates² our story.

--------------------------------------------------------

The wind power industry is growing rapidly: it has increased 23 to 30 percent in each of the last five years. It is clean, abundant, ever-renewable, and free from producer boycotts³ or embargoes⁴.   

Randal Swisher   
  
Randal Swisher is the Executive Director of the American Wind Association. He says, "Certainly we have an enormous wind resource of wind in the U.S., equivalent to Saudi Arabia oil reserves, except the wind is not depleted⁵ over time."

Today only one percent of U.S. energy comes from wind. It provides more than 20 percent of Denmark's energy. The U.S. hopes to match that within 20 years. But there are many obstacles to making wind power a true alternative to oil. Industry experts say inconsistent government policies have discouraged investors⁶.  

Edward Duggan  
  
And there are not enough transmission lines to get the power generated by wind onto the grid⁷, says Edward Duggan, the Vice⁸ President of Oak Creek⁹ Energy Systems. "If we had the transmission lines we could immediately make 20 percent more electricity.  However, on the land that we have here we could more than double our output by installing new turbines."

 
Andy Karsner 
  
In Washington D.C., the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Andy Karsner, says there is a bottleneck¹⁰ in energy transmission. "There is a greater dilemma¹¹ now, that we immediately face, which is how to move the wind (power) from the windiest, most valuable, effective places to locate the actual wind farms to the load centers or the cities that need that power -- and that is a transmission dilemma that has to be addressed."   

 
Jim Johnson
  
There are also political objections to wind power, according to Jim Johnson, the Operations Engineer at the National Wind Technology Center in Denver, Colorado. “Today the obstacle over all is not technical, it is political … Wind by far is three to four times more cost effective than any of the other technologies still." 

Part of the political problem is that established energy industries, such as petroleum¹², do not want competition. Another is that many people do not want to live near wind turbines, which they consider unsightly, loud and harmful to birds and other wildlife.

So wind farms, as they are known, are in places like the Tehachapi desert in California. About a dozen wind companies have operated here since the 1980s. This is the oldest and biggest wind farm in the U.S., concentrating over 5,000 wind turbines that use a wide range of technology. 

The largest and newest is 150 meters tall, and produces 2.5 megawatts of electricity.  Its blades are about 45 meters long and weigh about 10 tons. It is highly productive, even during low winds.

 
Michael Burns shows the computer that controls wind turbines
  
Michael Burns is a mechanical specialist with Oak Creek Energy. ”That's the computer down here at the corner…."

Entire wind farms can now be controlled, monitored, and diagnosed by computer.

"…I am monitoring all the turbines, approximately 50," points out Burns.

With oil and natural gas prices rising rapidly, the political climate for alternative energy development seems to be gaining momentum¹³ in the U.S.  More than 22 states have ordered their traditional utility companies to diversify¹⁴ into alternative sources of energy.  

 
Linda White
  
Linda White is Director of the California Wind Energy Association. She tells us, "In California we have a renewable portfolio¹⁵ standard.  Which is legislation.  Utilities by 2010 and by 2020 will need 10 to up to 20 percent of renewable energy in their portfolios¹⁶.  Which is substantial, and that is putting this industry and this technology on the map.  It is here to stay."

Ten years ago people might have laughed at that kind of statement. Not today.

1 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

2 narrates   

v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
• Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网

3 boycotts   

（对某事物的）抵制( boycott的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Their methods included boycotts and court action, supplemented by'sit-ins". 他们的主要方法包括联合抵制、法庭起诉，还附带进行静坐抗议。
• Are boycotts for other purposes illegal? 至于用于其它目的的联合抵制行动是否也是非法的呢？

4 embargoes   

贸易禁运令，禁运( embargo的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Britain, France and the United States refused to lift their embargoes. 英、法和美国都拒绝取消禁运。
• Its public position is that it abides by all UN arms embargoes. 其公开立场是，他们遵守所有联合国的武器禁运命令。

5 depleted   

adj. 枯竭的, 废弃的 动词deplete的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• Food supplies were severely depleted. 食物供应已严重不足。
• Both teams were severely depleted by injuries. 两个队都因队员受伤而实力大减。

6 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

7 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

8 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

9 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

10 bottleneck   

n.瓶颈口，交通易阻的狭口；妨生产流程的一环

参考例句：

• The transportation bottleneck has blocked the movement of the cargo.运输的困难阻塞了货物的流通。
• China's strained railroads already become a bottleneck for the economy.中国紧张的铁路运输已经成为经济增长的瓶颈。

11 dilemma   

n.困境，进退两难的局面

参考例句：

• I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
• He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。

12 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

13 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

14 diversify   

v.（使）不同，（使）变得多样化

参考例句：

• Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
• Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。

15 portfolio   

n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位

参考例句：

• He remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio.他因为她带着一个大公文包而记住了她。
• He resigned his portfolio.他辞去了大臣职务。

16 portfolios   

n.投资组合( portfolio的名词复数 )；（保险）业务量；（公司或机构提供的）系列产品；纸夹

参考例句：

• Price risk arises in non-trading portfolios, as well as in trading portfolios. 价格风险中出现的非贸易投资，以及在贸易投资组合。 来自互联网
• How do we fatten our portfolios and stay financially healthy? 我们怎样育肥我们的投资结构和维持财政健康呢？ 来自互联网