Energy Efficiency Could Offer Major Climate Wins 抑制全球變暖從能源效率著手

What if the world could quickly slash climate-warming emissions， without having to build so much new renewable energy capacity？

如果世界能夠迅速削減導致氣候變暖的排放量，而不用新建這么多再生能源產能，那會怎么樣呢？

That’s exactly what some experts say needs to happen， by improving the efficiency of appliances and electricity grids through efforts like plugging leaks and stopping so-called “vampire loads” from devices that pull power from wall sockets even when switched off.

這正是一些專家提出來要做的事，通過堵漏和防止電器所謂的“吸血鬼負荷”——即便在關閉時也從墻上插座消耗電能——等措施，來提高電器與電網的效率。

By lowering the amount of power needed to perform the same tasks， the world could burn fewer fossil fuels and spend less on expanding solar or wind capacity.

通過減少做相同事情所需的電量，世界可以燃燒更少的化石燃料，并減少用于擴大太陽能或風能發電生產力的支出。

At least 118 countries at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai have backed a pledge to improve energy efficiency rates by 4% each year until 2030. That would be a doubling of the 2% improvement in efficiency rates seen in 2022.

在迪拜舉行的第28屆聯合國氣候變化大會中，至少有118個國家承諾，到2030年每年將能源效率提高4%。這是在2022年能源效率提高2%的基礎上再翻一番。

HOW CAN ENERGY BECOME MORE EFFICIENT？

能源如何變得更有效率？

The International Energy Agency （IEA） has called efficiency the “first fuel” of the energy transition and one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

國際能源署（IEA）將效率稱為能源轉型的“第一燃料”，也是減少溫室氣體排放最快、最具成本效益的方法之一。

In its simplest form， energy efficiency can simply mean using appliances， technology or electronics that are designed to consume less energy， such as heat pumps or LED lighting.

能源效率以最簡單的形式可以指使用能源消耗更少的電器、技術或電子產品，如熱泵或LED照明。

At a larger scale， buildings can be designed with better insulation to lessen the need for air conditioning or heating. Factories or cities can improve wiring to get rid of leakages.

在更大的規模上，建筑物可以設計成具有更好的隔熱性能，以減少對空調或暖氣的需求。工廠或城市可以改善布線以消除泄漏。

As more industries including transport seek to power up from the electric grid， rather than through burning fossil fuels， demands on the grid will rise steeply.

隨著交通運輸等更多的行業尋求通過電網，而非燃燒化石燃料來供電，對電網的需求將隨之急劇上升。

Government regulation can also help by， for example， requiring minimum energy performance standards in appliances， vehicles or manufacturing.

政府監管也可提供幫助，例如要求電器、車輛或制造業達到最低能源效率標準。

WHAT OFFERS THE BIGGEST ENERGY SAVINGS？

什么可以節省最多能源？

Switching to electric vehicles or heat pumps can offer significant energy savings if plugging into grids that increasingly draw on renewable power sources. Electric vehicles also waste less of their energy reserve than combustion-engine vehicles powered by gasoline. The US Department of Energy estimates that EVs currently use 77% of their battery energy for power at the wheels. Gasoline vehicles can only harness about 12% to 30% of the energy from gas in their tanks.

如果接入越來越多以再生能源發電的電網，改用電動車或熱泵可顯著節省能源。與燃油車相比，電動車浪費的能源儲備也更少。美國能源部估計，目前電動車77%的電量用于驅動車輪。燃油車只能利用其油箱中汽油大約12%至30%的能量。

Heat pumps can be up to five times more efficient than gas boilers， the IEA says.

國際能源署表示，熱泵的效率比煤氣鍋爐的高出五倍。

“Electric cooking is hugely more efficient than biomass cooking，” said energy researcher Nick Eyre at Oxford University.

牛津大學能源研究員尼克·艾爾表示：“用電烹飪比用生物量烹飪效率高得多。”

Word Bank

switch /sw?t?/ v.（使）改變，轉變，突變

switch off" 關（電燈、機器等）

Please switch the lights off as you leave.

capacity /k?'p?s?ti/ n. 生產量；生產能力

insulation /'?nsju'le??n/ n. 隔熱；隔音；絕緣；隔熱（或隔音、絕緣）材料

harness /'hɑ?n?s/ v. 控制，利用（以產生能量等）