美国太阳发展,清洁能源让阳光普照大地.doc

清洁能源 让阳光普照大地 Clean energy清洁能源Let the sun shine让阳光普照大地 The future is bright for solar power, even as subsidies are withdrawn尽管补贴不再，太阳能的未来一片光明FORTY-FIVE minutes west of Las Vegas, dejected sinners may encounter a sight to lift their sunken hearts: a sea of 347,000 mirrors, reflecting the rays of the desert sun on to boilers mounted on three 460-foot towers. The Ivanpah solar-thermal plant (pictured), which opened in mid-February, is the largest of its kind in the world. Fully ramped up, it will deliver around 377 megawatts (MW) of power to 140,000 homes in southern California. Its backers compare it to the nearby Hoover Dam; an astronaut claims to have spotted it from the international space station. It is a striking sight, even if the heat from its heliostats has roasted dozens of unfortunate birds alive. 距拉斯维加斯45分的地方，心情沮丧的罪人会看到一幅能照亮他们沉没的心的奇观—34.7万面镜子组成的海洋反射着沙漠太阳的光至三个高达460英尺的塔上的热水器。于二月中旬开始运行的伊凡帕太阳能热电厂（如图所示）是目前世界上最大的太阳能热电厂。开足马力，该电厂能为加利福尼亚南部14万居民提供377兆瓦的电力。其支持者将它比作附近美国最高的水坝胡弗水坝。甚至有宇航员说他能在国际空间站找到这个太阳能热电站。尽管电站的定日镜反射的热量硬是将数十只活生生的飞鸟烤熟了，这依然是一道令人叹为观止的风景。 Solar power in America is growing rapidly, albeit from a small base (see chart). Last year it represented 29% of new electricity capacity, behind only natural gas at 46%. Solar output has more than doubled during Barack Obamas time in office; GTM, a research firm, reckons it will grow another 26% in 2014. The Department of Energy wants solar to provide 27% of Americas electricity by 2050, up from less than 1% today. 虽然太阳能在美国起点低，但发展迅捷。去年太阳能发电占新增电力的29%，仅落后于占46%的天然气发电量。既奥巴马上任以来，太阳能的产出翻了不止一番。全球决策大本营这个调查机构称太阳能发电在2014年将新增26%。美国能源署希望太阳能发电能够由目前提供的不足1%的电力发展到能够在2050年前提供美国27%的电力。 Though dazzling, Ivanpah and large plants like it will not generate much of this growth. The federal loan guarantees that allowed their creation have expired. More important are photovoltaic solar cells, a rival technology that converts sunlight directly to electricity. Their cost has fallen so quickly that in many places retail electricity customers a