❶While fossil fuels—oal, oil, gas—till generate roughly 85 percent of the world's energy supply, it's clearer than ever that the future belongs to renewable sources such as wind and solar.❷The move to renewables is picking up momentum around the world: They now account for more than half of new power sources going on line.
❶Some growth stems from a commitment by governments and farsighted businesses to fund cleaner energy sources. ❷But increasingly the story is about the plummeting prices of renewables, especially wind and solar.❸The cost of solar panels has dropped by 80 percent and the cost of wind turbines by close to one-third in the past eight years. Oln many parts of the world renewable energy is already a principal energy source.❷In Scotland, for example, wind turbines provide enough electricity to power 95 percent of homes.❸While the rest of the world takes the lead, notably （27 ） China and Europe, the United States is also seeing a remarkable shift.❹In March, for the first time, wind and solar power accounted for more than 10 percent of the power generated in the US, reported the US Energy Information Administration. 13W ❷President Trump has underlined fossil fuels— specially coal—as the path to economic growth.❷In a recent speech in Iowa, he dismissed wind power as an unreliable energy source. ❸But that message did not play well with many in Iowa, where wind turbines dot the fields and provide 36 percent of the state's electricity generation——and where tech giants like Microsoft are being attracted by the availability of clean energy to power their data centers.
❶The question "what happens when the wind doesn't blow or the sun doesn't shine?^^ has provided a quick put-down for skeptics.❷But a boost in the storage capacity of batteries is making their ability to keep power flowing around the clock more likely.
❶The advance is driven in part by vehicle manufacturers, who are placing big bets on battery-powered electric vehicles. ❷Although electric cars are still a rarity on roads now, this massive investment could change the picture rapidly in coming years.
❶While there's a long way to go, the trend lines for renewables are spiking.❷The pace of change in energy sources appears to be speeding up—perhaps just in time to have a meaningful effect in slowing climate change.❸What Washington does—r doesn't do—to promote alternative energy may mean less and less at a time of a global shift in thought. m
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尽管化石燃料 煤、石油、天然气 仍约占世界能源供应量的85%,但未来还是 属于像风能和太阳能这样的可再生能源，这 一点比以往任何时候都更清楚。全球可再生 能源的发展势头正在增强：它们目前占据了 正在使用的新能源的一半以上。 部分增长源于政府和有远见的企业对更 清洁能源承诺的资金支持。（26）但越来越 多的说法认为，这与可再生能源的价格暴跌 有关，尤其是风能和太阳能。在过去八年里， 太阳能电池板的成本下降了 80%,风力涡轮 机的成本下降了近三分之一。 在世界很多地区，可再生能源已经成 为一种主要能源。例如，在苏格兰，风力 涡轮机能为95%的家庭提供充足的电力。 在世界上其他国家和地区（尤其是中国 和欧洲）带头发展之际，美国也发生了显著 变化。据美国能源情报署报道称，美国风能 和太阳能发电量在3月份首次超过总发电量 的10%。 厶 特朗普总统强调化石燃料，尤其是煤， 才是促进经济增长的途径。在爱荷华州的最 近一次演讲中，他认为风能是一种不可靠的 能源，应当摒弃。（28）但是，这一说法并 不被爱荷华州的很多民众所接受，因为那里 的风力涡轮机遍布田野，并且为该州提供了 的发电量—微软等科技巨头也被这里 清洁能源的易获得性所吸引，让清洁能源为 其数据中心供电。 如果不刮风，或者不出太阳时，会发 生什么呢？ ” ——这一问题给怀疑论者提供 了一个可供奚落的切入点。（29）但是，电 池储电量的提升使其更有可能昼夜不停地 持续供电。 这一进展一定程度上是由汽车制造商推 动的，他们也在电也供电的电动汽车上下了 很大的赌注。（29）虽然目前上路的电动汽 车仍寥寥无几，但在未来几年，这笔巨额投 资可能会迅速改变这种现状。 尽管还有很长的路要走，但是可再生能 源的趋势线正迅速上升。能源的变化速度似 乎正在加快——也许这正好能给减缓气候变 化带来积极影响。（30）在全球思想转变的 时代，不管华盛顿是否会为促进可替代能源 的发展做点什么，其影响会越来越小。