VOA标准英语2010年-Florida Man Installs Wind Turbine on H

Amid the recent economic downturn, demand in the U.S. is rising for small wind turbines to power people's homes. The American Wind Energy Association says sales of such turbines rose 15 percent in 2009. One man in Florida is generating his own power in order to cut his electricity bills.

A wind turbine sits on top of a small hill, and generates electricity for a nearby home.

Jim Dotson says he had the turbine installed last year and it is saving his family money.

"We figured out that we could about cut our electric bill in half, and that's what we've done pretty consistently," he  said.

 Dotson uses his computer to monitor the amount of electricity his turbine is generating.

He says sometimes it generates more power than he needs. He then sells the excess electricity to his local power company.

"Especially in the economic times that we're in right now, any time you can be more self-sufficient, it's a good thing," he noted¹.

But Dotson lives in Florida, a state with very few wind-power installations compared to other parts of the country.

Frank Leslie says Florida is not windy enough to make turbines viable²

Frank Leslie, an adjunct professor with the Department of Marine³ and Environmental Systems at the Florida Institute of Technology, says scientists often view Florida as not windy enough to make turbines viable.

"The winds are very low. The southeast is not really blessed with high winds that one can extract energy from," Leslie explained.

And the cost of installing a small turbine is high - up to $22,000.

"While the wind is free, the conversion⁴ of wind power into electrical power costs money," he noted.

Leslie says Florida has a breezy coastline, but many parts are usually calm.

Wind only produces about two percent of America's electricity needs

California, Texas and Iowa have the largest wind power generating capacity in the United States. This wind farm near San Francisco is one of the largest in the world with more than 4,000 turbines. 

The U.S. government says wind only produces about two percent of America's electricity demand, compared to 25 percent in Denmark and eight percent in Germany and Spain.

Still, Jim Dotson says he is confident he can continue to power his Florida home by harnessing the wind.

And he says he is even raising money to pay for a wind turbine to power a school in the west African nation of Burkina Faso.
 

1 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

2 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

3 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。

4 conversion   

n.转化，转换，转变

参考例句：

• He underwent quite a conversion.他彻底变了。
• Waste conversion is a part of the production process.废物处理是生产过程的一个组成部分。