美国国家公共电台 NPR--Is offshore wind the answer to a greener future in the U.S.?

Is offshore¹ wind the answer to a greener future in the U.S.?

Transcript²

NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with engineer Amy Robertson of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory about the Biden administration's push to drastically increase U.S. offshore wind production.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

The U.S. energy sector³ accounts for about a quarter of the country's greenhouse gas emissions⁴. That's because more than half of U.S. electricity comes from fossil fuels. To reduce the nation's reliance on coal and natural gas, President Biden is pushing for renewable energy sources, including offshore wind. For the second part of our series on America's energy transition, I spoke⁵ with engineer Amy Robertson of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. I started by asking her if Biden's goal to power 10 million homes with offshore wind by 2030 is realistic when there are only two offshore wind farms operating in the U.S. right now.

AMY ROBERTSON: Yeah, that's a good question. I mean, yes, we have very little now, and that's a big incline in the amount of energy that we need to be producing. And right now, we actually have 40 gigawatts of offshore wind projects in the regulatory pipeline⁶. That means they're moving towards being built. You can see that while it's really a short term, we're really taking the strides to meet that demand now.

FADEL: So when it comes to offshore wind compared to other renewable sources, onshore wind, solar, why should the U.S. invest in this technology over other, cheaper renewables?

ROBERSTON: The truth is that in order to solve this climate crisis, in order to decarbonize our energy infrastructure⁷, we're going to need not just one or two renewable energy sources. We're going to need a whole portfolio⁸. By having a whole group of different sources, we're going to create a more reliable-type system. And most importantly, if you try to just meet those energy goals with land-based wind and land-based solar, there's simply not enough land available to build the level of systems that we need to meet that demand. And this is especially true in coastal⁹ regions.

FADEL: And then this might be kind of a more simple question, but the big difference between having an offshore wind farm and an onshore wind farm - I know you spoke about the limitations of actual land, but just generally, what is the difference there?

ROBERSTON: One of the significant differences and the reason that we'll be able to bring down offshore wind costs compared to kind of the rate we can bring down land is we're able to actually build much bigger offshore wind turbines than we can on land because the whole ability to transport large components¹⁰ through our highways and trains, it's just not feasible on land, but offshore, we have much more freedom. We don't have those restrictions¹¹. So we can actually build more massive wind turbines, which growing the size of the wind turbine can actually really help with the economy of that wind turbine.

FADEL: In the sense of cost.

ROBERSTON: Yeah, exactly. So just growing the size of that wind turbine is going to create a lot more power, and it's going to bring down the cost of that energy you get out.

FADEL: The U.S. seems late to the game. Why has it taken so long?

ROBERSTON: Yeah, I guess there's really several reasons it's been taking a while. I think first, historically, offshore wind has been rather costly¹² compared to other renewable energy sources, but we have been seeing the costs coming down. Since about 2015, the price of offshore wind has really been reduced. And so we're starting to see a lot of interest in the U.S., especially at the state level, where they can see that offshore wind can really bring good economic value to their local regions.

FADEL: And at this point, do we know much about possible long-term impacts? I know there is some concern about what offshore wind farms might do to marine¹³ life.

ROBERSTON: Yeah, no, I mean, that's always a critical question. I mean, we've - for land-based wind as well, we are always trying to study to make sure that we're addressing how that's interacting with wildlife. We're doing the same offshore. We're continuing to do studies not just about how to build systems that impact the environment less, but we're also trying to look at ways to deter¹⁴ that impact. So we're actively¹⁵ working with fisheries and other environmental agencies to make sure that we can figure out the best way to deploy¹⁶ these systems with the least impact.

FADEL: Now, when President Biden talks about solving the climate crisis and green energy, he talks about that hand in hand with the need for jobs here in the United States. With offshore wind being a fairly new industry in the U.S., is that a reality yet for Americans? Does this industry come with jobs in the U.S.?

ROBERSTON: Oh, for sure, yeah. I mean, the first wind farms that are going to be built on the East Coast here, we are going to have to rely on some of the mature European supply chains. But the construction planning, maintenance and development activities that are going to go into those projects are already - have those capabilities¹⁷ domestically. And as we bring more offshore wind into the U.S., we're going to just have to grow that domestic supply chain to meet that demand.

FADEL: Amy Robertson, a modeling expert for offshore wind at National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Thank you so much, Amy.

ROBERSTON: Oh, thank you.

1 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

4 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。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

7 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

8 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。

9 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

10 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

11 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

12 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

13 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

14 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。

15 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

16 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

17 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓