论文部分内容阅读
A new study out of Minnesota found that 70 percent of the state’s electricity could come from wind and solar energy by 2050—and it would cost about the same as natural gas.
State officials plan to use the report， which was commissioned1 by the Minnesota Department of Commerce， as it considers future energy policy decisions.
The state has been a national leader in pushing renewable energy since 2007 when Tim Pawlenty， a Republican2， enacted legislation to increase renewable energy use and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
“The best time to have taken action on energy issues would’ve been 30 years ago，” Pawlenty said after signing the Next Generation Energy Act of 2007. “The nation has been asleep at the switch3， but here in Minnesota we are kick-starting the future.”
Today， around 20 percent of the state’s electricity comes from wind， and around 1 percent from solar， said Josh Quinnell， a senior research engineer at the Center for Energy and Environment， one of the organizations that completed the report.
“We have a thriving wind industry，” Quinnell said， “and solar has kicked off this year.”
According to the report， Minnesota could get 10 percent of its energy from solar by 2025.
The results of this study could signal to other states that renewable energy may be cost effective， said Jeff Ressler， CEO of Clean Power Research， which also worked on the report.
“Minnesota is kind of unique in that it has an outstanding wind resource and also good solar，” Ressler said. “But there are other places in the Midwest like that. We can look to repeat this analysis in other locations.”
Though this report is just one of many steps toward that goal， the researchers are confident the state will achieve it. And as technology continues to improve， they say， eventually all electricity will come from renewable sources.
“I’m confident we’ll get there in my lifetime，” Quinnell said.
来自明尼苏达州的一项新研究发现，到2050年，该州70% 的電力将来自风能和太阳能——其成本将与天然气大致相当。
州政府计划利用明尼苏达州商务部委托的这份研究报告，因为它考虑到了未来的能源政策决定。
自2007年共和党人蒂姆·波伦蒂实施了法令，以增加可再生能源的使用，并减少温室气体的排放以来，该州一直是全美推动可再生能源的引领者。
“在能源问题上采取行动的最佳时机应该是30年前。”波伦蒂在签署2007年《下一代能源法》后表示。“整个国家对这个转变熟视无睹，但是在明尼苏达，我们正在开创未来。”
来自完成这个研究报告的组织之一，能源与环境中心的高级研究工程师乔什·昆内尔说，现在该州约20%的电力来自风能，约1%的电力来自太阳能。
“我们有蓬勃发展的风能产业。”昆内尔说，“太阳能产业今年已经启动。”
根据这份研究报告，到2025年，明尼苏达州10%的能源将来自太阳能。
清洁能源研究公司首席执行官杰夫·雷斯勒也参与了这项研究，他说，这项研究的结果可以向其他州发出信号，即可再生能源可能是非常划算的。
“明尼苏达州的独特之处在于它拥有丰富的风能资源和良好的太阳能资源。”雷斯勒说，“但在中西部还有其它类似的地方。我们可以期待在其它地方重现这一分析。”
尽管这份报告只是朝着这一目标迈出的众多步骤之一，但研究人员相信，明尼苏达州将实现这一目标。他们说，随着技术的不断进步，最终所有的电力都将来自可再生能源。
“我有信心，在有生之年能实现这一目标。”昆内尔说。
State officials plan to use the report， which was commissioned1 by the Minnesota Department of Commerce， as it considers future energy policy decisions.
The state has been a national leader in pushing renewable energy since 2007 when Tim Pawlenty， a Republican2， enacted legislation to increase renewable energy use and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
“The best time to have taken action on energy issues would’ve been 30 years ago，” Pawlenty said after signing the Next Generation Energy Act of 2007. “The nation has been asleep at the switch3， but here in Minnesota we are kick-starting the future.”
Today， around 20 percent of the state’s electricity comes from wind， and around 1 percent from solar， said Josh Quinnell， a senior research engineer at the Center for Energy and Environment， one of the organizations that completed the report.
“We have a thriving wind industry，” Quinnell said， “and solar has kicked off this year.”
According to the report， Minnesota could get 10 percent of its energy from solar by 2025.
The results of this study could signal to other states that renewable energy may be cost effective， said Jeff Ressler， CEO of Clean Power Research， which also worked on the report.
“Minnesota is kind of unique in that it has an outstanding wind resource and also good solar，” Ressler said. “But there are other places in the Midwest like that. We can look to repeat this analysis in other locations.”
Though this report is just one of many steps toward that goal， the researchers are confident the state will achieve it. And as technology continues to improve， they say， eventually all electricity will come from renewable sources.
“I’m confident we’ll get there in my lifetime，” Quinnell said.
来自明尼苏达州的一项新研究发现，到2050年，该州70% 的電力将来自风能和太阳能——其成本将与天然气大致相当。
州政府计划利用明尼苏达州商务部委托的这份研究报告，因为它考虑到了未来的能源政策决定。
自2007年共和党人蒂姆·波伦蒂实施了法令，以增加可再生能源的使用，并减少温室气体的排放以来，该州一直是全美推动可再生能源的引领者。
“在能源问题上采取行动的最佳时机应该是30年前。”波伦蒂在签署2007年《下一代能源法》后表示。“整个国家对这个转变熟视无睹，但是在明尼苏达，我们正在开创未来。”
来自完成这个研究报告的组织之一，能源与环境中心的高级研究工程师乔什·昆内尔说，现在该州约20%的电力来自风能，约1%的电力来自太阳能。
“我们有蓬勃发展的风能产业。”昆内尔说，“太阳能产业今年已经启动。”
根据这份研究报告，到2025年，明尼苏达州10%的能源将来自太阳能。
清洁能源研究公司首席执行官杰夫·雷斯勒也参与了这项研究，他说，这项研究的结果可以向其他州发出信号，即可再生能源可能是非常划算的。
“明尼苏达州的独特之处在于它拥有丰富的风能资源和良好的太阳能资源。”雷斯勒说，“但在中西部还有其它类似的地方。我们可以期待在其它地方重现这一分析。”
尽管这份报告只是朝着这一目标迈出的众多步骤之一，但研究人员相信，明尼苏达州将实现这一目标。他们说，随着技术的不断进步，最终所有的电力都将来自可再生能源。
“我有信心，在有生之年能实现这一目标。”昆内尔说。