可再生能源与不可再生能源

 

Is your amusement park's energy source renewable?
::你的游乐园的能源来源是可再生的吗?

Nearly all amusement parks use non-renewable  energy . However, a few are now starting to use renewable energy. The Crealy Great Adventure Park in Devon, England, is going solar! Solar panels will be able to generate enough energy to power most of the park in the summer. When there is extra energy, it will supply the grid. Imagine what an amusement park could do if it were located in a sunny place!
::几乎所有游乐园都使用不可再生的能源。 然而, 少数游乐园现在开始使用可再生能源。 英国德文的Crealy Great Vocture公园正在变太阳能 。 太阳能电池板可以在夏季产生足够的能源来给大部分公园提供电力。 当有额外的能源时, 它会供应电网。 想象一下如果一个游乐园位于阳光明媚的地方, 它能做什么!

Types of Energy Resources
::能源资源种类

 can be put into two categories—renewable or non-renewable.  Non-renewable resources  are used faster than they can be replaced.  Renewable resources  can be replaced as quickly as they are used. Renewable resources may also be so abundant that running out is impossible.
::可再生资源可以分为两类:可再生或不可再生,不可再生资源的使用速度快于可以替代的资源,可再生资源可以随着使用而迅速更换,可再生资源也可能非常丰富,不可能耗尽。

The difference between non-renewable and renewable resources is like the difference between ordinary batteries and rechargeable ones. If a flashlight with ordinary batteries goes dead, the batteries need to be replaced. But if the flashlight has rechargeable batteries, the batteries can be placed in a charger. The charger transfers energy from an outlet into the batteries. Once recharged, the batteries can be put back into the flashlight. Rechargeable batteries can be used again and again ( Figure   ). In this way, the energy in the rechargeable batteries is renewable.
::不可再生和可再生资源之间的区别与普通电池和可充电电池的区别相似。 如果带普通电池的手电筒熄灭,电池需要更换。 但如果手电筒有可充电电池,电池可以放入充电器。充电器将能量从一个出口转移到电池中。充电后,电池可以放回电筒中。可充电电池可以反复使用(图 )。这样,可充电电池中的能量可以再生。

 

Types of Non-Renewable Resources
::各类非可再生能源资源类别

Fossil fuels  include  coal ,  oil , and  natural gas . Fossil fuels are the greatest energy  source  for modern society. Millions of years ago, plants used energy from the   to form carbon compounds. These compounds were later transformed into coal, oil, or natural gas. Fossil fuels take millions of years to form. For this reason, they are non-renewable. We will use most fossil fuels up in a matter of decades. Burning fossil fuels releases large amounts of pollution. The most important of these may be the  greenhouse gas , carbon dioxide.
::化石燃料包括煤炭、石油和天然气。 化石燃料是现代社会最大的能源来源。 数百万年前, 植物利用能源形成碳化合物。 这些化合物后来被转化成煤炭、石油或天然气。 化石燃料需要数百万年才能形成。 因此,它们是不可再生的。 我们将在几十年内使用大部分化石燃料。 燃烧化石燃料释放大量污染。 其中最重要的是温室气体、二氧化碳。

Types of Renewable Resources
::可再生能源类型

Renewable energy resources include solar,  water ,  wind ,  biomass , and geothermal power. These resources are usually replaced at the same rate that we use them. Scientists know that the Sun will continue to shine for billions of years. So we can use the   without it ever running out. Water flows from high places to lower ones. Wind blows from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. We can use the flow of wind and water to generate power. We can count on wind and water to continue to flow! Burning wood ( Figure   ), is an example of  . Changing grains into  biofuels  is biomass energy. Biomass is renewable because we can plant new trees or crops to replace the ones we use.   uses water that was heated by   and  magma  deep within the Earth’s  crust . This  heat  will continue to be generated by  radioactive decay  in the Earth’s  core  for billions of years.
::可再生能源资源包括太阳能、水能、风能、生物量能和地热能。这些资源通常以我们使用的速度被取代。科学家们知道太阳将继续发光数十亿年。这样我们就可以在不耗尽的情况下使用它。水从高处流向低处。风从高压地区吹到低压地区。我们可以利用风和水流来发电。我们可以指望风和水继续流动!烧柴(图 ) , 就是一个例子。将谷物转化为生物燃料是生物能。生物量是生物能。生物量是可再生的,因为我们可以种植新的树木或作物来取代我们使用的那些树木或作物。使用地球地壳深处的加热和岩浆的水。这种热量将继续由地球核心的放射性衰变产生数十年。

 

Even renewable resources can be used unsustainably. We can cut down too many trees without replanting. We might need grains for food rather than biofuels. Some renewable resources are too expensive to be widely used. As the technology improves and more people use renewable energy, the prices will come down. The cost of renewable resources will go down relative to fossil fuels as we use fossil fuels up. In the long run renewable resources will need to make up a large amount of what we use.
::即使是可再生资源也可以被不可持续地使用。 我们可以在不重新种植的情况下砍掉太多的树木。 我们可能需要粮食粮食而不是生物燃料。 一些可再生资源太昂贵,无法广泛使用。 随着技术的进步和更多的人使用可再生能源,价格将下降。 随着化石燃料的使用增加,可再生资源的成本将比化石燃料下降。 从长远看,可再生资源需要大量我们使用的东西。

Important Things to Consider About Energy Resources
::能源资源考虑的重要事项

Before we put effort into increasing the use of an energy source, we should consider two things. Is there a practical way to turn the resource into useful form of energy? For example, it is not practical if we don't get much more energy from burning a  fuel  than we put into making it. For example, what if it took more energy to make solar panels than we could get from the solar panels once they were working? Then solar energy would not be worth pursuing until better solar panels were developed.
::在我们努力增加能源的使用之前,我们应该考虑两件事。是否有一种实用的方法可以将能源转化为有用的能源形式?例如,如果我们从燃烧燃料中得不到比我们投入的更多的能源,那是不切实际的。例如,如果太阳能电池板在工作时用更多的能源来制造太阳能电池板,那么太阳能就不值得追求,直到开发出更好的太阳能电池板。

What happens when we turn the resource into energy? What happens when we use that resource? Mining the resource may cause a lot of health problems or environmental damage. Using the resource may create a large amount of pollution. In this case, that fuel may also not be the best choice for an energy resource.
::当我们把资源变成能源时会发生什么情况?当我们使用资源时会发生什么情况?开采资源可能造成很多健康问题或环境损害。使用资源可能造成大量污染。在这种情况下,燃料也可能不是能源的最佳选择。

KQED: Climate Watch: Unlocking the Grid
::KQED:气候观察:解锁网格

Today we rely on electricity more than ever, but the resources that currently supply our power are finite. The race is on to harness more renewable resources, but getting all that clean energy from production sites to homes and businesses is proving to be a major challenge. 
::今天,我们比以往任何时候更加依赖电力,但目前供应电力的资源是有限的。 现在的竞赛是开发更多可再生资源,但将所有清洁能源从生产地点运到家庭和企业证明是一项重大挑战。

Summary
::摘要

• Non-renewable resources are used faster than they can be replaced. Once they're gone, they are, for all practical purposes, gone.
  ::使用不可再生资源的速度比替代的速度快,一旦它们消失,就实际上消失。

• Renewable resources are so abundant or are replaced so rapidly that, for all practical purposes, they can't run out.
  ::可再生资源如此丰富 或被如此迅速的替换 为了所有实际目的 它们不可能耗尽

• Fossil fuels are the most commonly used non-renewable resources. Renewable resources include solar, wind, hydro, and (possibly) biomass.
  ::矿物燃料是最常用的非可再生资源,可再生资源包括太阳能、风能、水能和(可能)生物量。

• Many factors must be considered when deciding whether or not to use a resource.
  ::在决定是否使用资源时必须考虑到许多因素。

Review
::回顾

1. What is a renewable resource? Give three examples.
   ::什么是可再生资源?请举三个例子。

1. What is a non-renewable resource? Give three examples.
   ::什么是不可再生资源?请举三个例子。

1. Can a renewable resource become non-renewable?
   ::可再生资源能否成为不可再生资源?