In six years, Costa Rica plans to be carbon neutral. It's getting closer to that goal: In March, the government announced that the country has been running on nothing but renewable electricity in 2015.
再六年, 哥斯大黎加計畫成為碳中和的國家, 目前正在更接近此目標: 2015年, 三月, 政府宣布這個國家只以再生能源發電
Compare that to the U.S., where renewables generate only around 13% of electricity. Of course, Costa Rica is tiny in comparison—with a population only about the size of Alabama. Because most people are relatively poor, energy use per household is low. And the country's economy relies on tourism and agriculture, not energy-sucking industries like manufacturing. Costa Rica also has some natural advantages. Like Iceland, which already runs on fully renewable energy, Costa Rica is filled with volcanoes and can tap into geothermal power.
跟美國比起來, 美國再生能源發電只占13%. 當然, 哥斯大黎加與美國相比是小國, 人口只相當阿拉巴馬州一州的人口. 大多數人民都相對貧窮, 每戶電力使用都相當低. 這個國家的經濟都依賴觀光與農業, 而不是能源. 哥國也有天然優勢. 像冰島, 也是統統以再生能源發電, 哥斯大黎加境內很多火山, 能深入利用地熱能源
The country's ability to swear off fossil fuels this year also took some luck. Most of the country's electricity comes from hydropower, and thanks to recent heavy rains, hydroplants have been able to supply more power than usual.
這個國家能把石化燃料發電丟一邊有一點是靠運氣. 這個國家大部份電力來自水力發電, 這要感謝他們的雨水豐盛, 水力發電廠能提供比一般更多的電力
That reliance on hydro also puts Costa Rica at risk in the case of future drought. So to prepare for drier weather that's likely to come with climate change, the country is investing in more geothermal power. Though the grid doesn't rely on much wind or solar power yet, there's an opportunity for both. By some estimates, there's twice as much sunshine in Costa Rica as in Germany—a country that was able to supply 50% of its electric power from solar on a sunny day last summer.
但全然依賴水力發電, 如果一發生旱災, 哥斯大黎加就沒輒了. 所以為了預防乾旱可能的干擾, 這個國家投資很多在地熱發電. 電力發電組不全然依賴風力或太陽能. 根據估量, 哥國全年的太陽比德國來得多, 哥國的電力組合可以分配50%以上是太陽能發電的.
"Solar is a reliable source, independent from climate change, with a minimum environmental impact," says Sofía Blanco, the executive director of Acesolar, a nonprofit that hopes to help solar energy grow in Costa Rica.
太陽是可靠的能源, 能從氣候變遷中獨立來, 對於環境衝擊不是那麼大
"Drought is synonymous with crisis in many areas, not just energy," she says. "That's why we promote the diversification of the energy matrix."
乾旱在很多區域跟危機幾乎是同義字, 不只是能源, 這是為何我們提倡電力發電組合(不全然靠一種發電)
It's likely that the grid in Costa Rica will continue to evolve and the current streak without fossil fuels may not last. Still, the country's progress is an inspiration for the rest of the world. Only a handful of others—like Albania, Paraguay, and Iceland—run on 100% renewable electricity now.
看來哥斯大黎加的電力組合會持續演進, 目前不靠石化燃料發電可能不會持續. 而這國家在電力上的進步可成為其他國家的啟示與靈感. 目前只有幾個少數國家做得到, 像阿爾巴尼亞, 巴拉圭, 冰島是100%再生能源發電
http://www.fastcoexist.com/3044360/costa-rica-is-now-running-on-100-renewable-electricity
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