13 New Energy

New Energy written by John Lockyer

《新能源》作者约翰·洛克耶

We use energy to do work. Energy lights huge cities and powers our cars. It warms our homes and cooks our food. Energy plays our music and gives us pictures on television. Where does energy come from? For many years people have used coal, gas, and oil to make energy. These are called fossil fuels because they come from plants and animals buried millions of years ago. Fossil fuels are running out, so we have found new ways of making energy.

我们用能量做功。能源照亮了大城市，驱动了我们的汽车。 它温暖我们的家，烹饪我们的食物。 能量为我们播放音乐，在电视上给我们呈现画面。 能量从何而来? 多年来，人们一直使用煤、天然气和石油来制造能源。 这些被称为化石燃料，因为它们来自数百万年前埋在地下的动植物。 化石燃料快用完了，所以我们找到了制造能源的新方法。

wind farm We can use the power of the wind to make energy. The wind turns a huge fan or turbine. The turbine powers a generator that makes electricity. Many turbines spinning together are called a wind farm. Windmills have been used for many years. Now, huge wind farms are built on cliffs and hills, or even in the sea. A farm with fifty turbines makes enough electricity for more than seven thousand homes.

我们可以利用风力发电。 风带动一个巨大的风扇或涡轮机。 涡轮机为发电的发电机提供动力。 许多涡轮机一起旋转被称为风电场。 风车已经使用了许多年。 现在，巨大的风力发电场建在悬崖和山丘上，甚至建在海里。 一个拥有50个涡轮机的农场可以为7000多户家庭提供足够的电力。

solar panels We can use the light of the sun to make energy. It is called solar energy. Have you seen solar panels on the roofs of houses? When the sun hits the panels, it makes electricity. Some very sunny places have solar power plants. They have many solar panels that follow the sun as it moves across the sky. Solar power plants can make enough electricity for a whole city.

我们可以利用太阳光制造能量。 它被称为太阳能。 你见过屋顶上的太阳能板吗? 当太阳照射到电池板上时，就会产生电能。 一些阳光充足的地方有太阳能发电厂。 它们有许多太阳能电池板，当太阳在天空中移动时，它们会跟着太阳移动。 太阳能发电厂可以为整个城市提供足够的电力。

geothermal bore field The high heat inside the Earth can be used to make energy, too. It is called geothermal energy. This can happen in places with volcanoes and lots of underground water. The hot volcanic rocks heat the water to make steam. The steam powers a generator that makes electricity. In these places, the hot water is also pumped from the ground and used to heat buildings.

地热钻孔田地球内部的高温也可以用来制造能源。 它被称为地热能。 这可能发生在有火山和大量地下水的地方。 炽热的火山岩使水加热产生蒸汽。 蒸汽为发电的发电机提供动力。 在这些地方，热水也从地下抽出，用来给建筑物供暖。

hydro dam Another way to make energy is with moving water. It is called hydro energy. Many years ago, moving water was used to turn wooden wheels. These wheels were joined to stone wheels to grind wheat into flour. Today, water is collected behind huge dams. When the water flows through the dam, it pushes against huge blades or turbines. The turbines send power to a generator that makes electricity. Power lines take the electricity to homes, schools, and factories.

另一种制造能源的方法是流动的水。 它被称为水能。 许多年前，流动的水被用来转动木轮。 这些轮子与石轮相连，把小麦磨成面粉。 今天，水被收集在巨大的水坝后面。 当水流过大坝时，它会推动巨大的叶片或涡轮机。 涡轮机将电力输送到发电的发电机。 电力线将电力输送到家庭、学校和工厂。