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VOA标准英语2014--专家称太阳能将给电业带来经济威胁

时间:2014-07-10 14:49:05

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Experts: Solar Power Could Soon Pose Economic Threat to Electric Utilities 专家称太阳能将给电业带来经济威胁

After decades as an expensive and sometimes impractical1 source of energy, experts say solar power is finally coming into its own.   Not only has the technology improved the efficiency and cost of solar panels, in some states, rising prices for conventional electricity make solar panels an economical alternative.  But can solar power actually compete with conventional electric utilities?  

John Desmarteau waited 10 years before switching to solar, but the retired2 Washington physician is glad he did.  

He says he's cut his reliance on the electric company by 85 percent, and saved the equivalent of more than 200 trees.

“In fact, for the last two months, which would be April and May 2014, we’ve used from our electric utility, no electricity," said Desmarteau.

The 39 photo-voltaic panels installed on Desmarteau's roof generate three times more than he consumes even with the air conditioning at full blast.  

It's not just a greener alternative - for some it can mean real savings3.  The industry is still evolving but AstrumSolar's Mark Manthy says companies like his are making it easier for consumers to switch.

"In most markets right now, especially up and down the [U.S.] East Coast and the West Coast - you could put solar panels on your house for no money down.  Somebody else owns them, you pay them a monthly payment that is cheaper than you would pay your utility," said Manthy.

In many states, brown energy - electricity generated from polluting, non-renewable resources like coal -  is still cheaper than solar.  But green advocacy groups such as the Rocky Mountain Institute say that's changing. 

“In our most optimistic case that we analyzed4, all customers in the Southwest, in the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah would see favorable economics within 10 years and 90 percent of the customers in the Mid-Atlantic," said RMI's Jon Creyts.

Some will not wait that long.  American University in Washington just signed a 20-year deal with solar pioneer Duke Energy.  AU’s Chief Financial Officer Doug Kudravetz says the long-term savings are substantial.

“We’ve done quite a bit of financial modeling and if brown power goes up five percent a year, we’ll save about $14 million, present value," he said.

Barclays Bank believes solar is a big enough threat to the status quo that it downgraded bond ratings for electric utilities.  The group's trade association, Edison Electric Institute, declined to comment.  But energy blogger Andrew Ricci believes the threat is overblown.

"Again, I think that the industry sees it as a drop in the bucket in terms of our overall power needs," he said.   And, he says he only sees that changing a long time down the road. 

While solar power makes up just a fraction of the world's total energy production, some believe the adoption5 rate will grow exponentially as climate change concerns drive the technology and consumers towards non-polluting and renewable resources like the sun.


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1 impractical 49Ixs     
adj.不现实的,不实用的,不切实际的
参考例句:
  • He was hopelessly impractical when it came to planning new projects.一到规划新项目,他就完全没有了实际操作的能力。
  • An entirely rigid system is impractical.一套完全死板的体制是不实际的。
2 retired Njhzyv     
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
参考例句:
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
3 savings ZjbzGu     
n.存款,储蓄
参考例句:
  • I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假,那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
  • By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时,他的存款已全部用完。
4 analyzed 483f1acae53789fbee273a644fdcda80     
v.分析( analyze的过去式和过去分词 );分解;解释;对…进行心理分析
参考例句:
  • The doctors analyzed the blood sample for anemia. 医生们分析了贫血的血样。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The young man did not analyze the process of his captivation and enrapturement, for love to him was a mystery and could not be analyzed. 这年轻人没有分析自己蛊惑著迷的过程,因为对他来说,爱是个不可分析的迷。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 adoption UK7yu     
n.采用,采纳,通过;收养
参考例句:
  • An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
  • The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

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