ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Jonathan Trent - Scientist and biofuel guru
Not only does Jonathan Trent grow algae for biofuel, he wants to do so by cleansing wastewater and trapping carbon dioxide in the process. And it’s all solar-powered.

Why you should listen

Jonathan Trent works at NASA’s nanotechnology department, where he builds microscopic devices out of proteins from extremophiles -- bacteria that live in the world’s harshest environments. It isn’t the logical place to start a biofuel project. But in 2008, after watching enzymes chomp through plant cells, Trent started thinking about biofuels. And, because he has a background in marine biology, he started thinking about algae and the oceans.

Thus was born OMEGA, or the Offshore Membrane Enclosure for Growing Algae. This technology aims at re-using the wastewater of coastal cities that is currently piped out and disposed into the seas. Fueled by the sun and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the algae eat the waste and produce oils that can be converted to fuel. Unlike growing corn for ethanol, OMEGA doesn’t threaten the world’s food supply.

More profile about the speaker
Jonathan Trent | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal 2012

Jonathan Trent: Energy from floating algae pods

Jonathan Trent: 由飄浮的微藻汲取新能源

Filmed:
1,037,057 views

你可稱之為「沒有化石的燃料」: Jonathan Trent 正在研究如何於外海養殖微藻來處理廢水並生產生質能源。他於此介紹他的團隊如何利用 OMEGA 計劃 (Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing Algae) 的願景來改造我們未來的能源。
- Scientist and biofuel guru
Not only does Jonathan Trent grow algae for biofuel, he wants to do so by cleansing wastewater and trapping carbon dioxide in the process. And it’s all solar-powered. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:16
Some years年份 ago, I set out to try to understand理解
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幾年前,我決心研究
00:19
if there was a possibility可能性 to develop發展 biofuels生物燃料
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是否有辦法生產生質能源
00:21
on a scale規模 that would actually其實 compete競爭 with fossil化石 fuels燃料
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使之量大到可與石化燃料抗衡
00:26
but not compete競爭 with agriculture農業 for water,
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卻不會與食用農業競爭水、肥料、或是土地
00:30
fertilizer肥料 or land土地.
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卻不會與食用農業競爭水、肥料、或是土地
00:32
So here's這裡的 what I came來了 up with.
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以下是我想出來的方案
00:34
Imagine想像 that we build建立 an enclosure附件 where we put it
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想像一個建造在水底下的空間
00:35
just underwater水下, and we fill it with wastewater廢水
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我們把它裝滿處理過的廢水
00:38
and some form形成 of microalgae微藻 that produces產生 oil,
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並加入會製造油料的微藻
00:41
and we make it out of some kind of flexible靈活 material材料
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然後這個空間的材料將會是有彈性的
00:43
that moves移動 with waves波浪 underwater水下,
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讓它能夠隨波移動
00:45
and the system系統 that we're going to build建立, of course課程,
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當然,我們建造的這個系統
00:47
will use solar太陽能 energy能源 to grow增長 the algae藻類,
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將利用太陽能使藻類生長
00:49
and they use COCO2, which哪一個 is good,
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它們會消耗二氧化碳,這是件好事
00:51
and they produce生產 oxygen as they grow增長.
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然後在生長的過程中製造氧氣
00:54
The algae藻類 that grow增長 are in a container容器 that
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微藻生長的空間能夠將多餘的熱能
00:57
distributes分配 the heat to the surrounding周圍 water,
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分散傳導至四周圍的水中
01:00
and you can harvest收成 them and make biofuels生物燃料
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你可以收成它們來提煉生質能源
01:03
and cosmetics化妝品 and fertilizer肥料 and animal動物 feed飼料,
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還有化妝品、肥料、及飼料的原料
01:05
and of course課程 you'd have to make a large area of this,
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當然,你得讓它附蓋很大的面積
01:08
so you'd have to worry擔心 about other stakeholders利益相關者
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所以你得當心其他利益相關者
01:11
like fishermen漁民 and ships船舶 and such這樣 things, but hey,
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像是漁民和船等等,但這都是小事
01:15
we're talking about biofuels生物燃料,
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因為重要的是生質能源
01:17
and we know the importance重要性 of potentially可能 getting得到
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而大家都知道生產替代能源是多麼的重要
01:19
an alternative替代 liquid液體 fuel汽油.
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而大家都知道生產替代能源是多麼的重要
01:22
Why are we talking about microalgae微藻?
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為什麼我們要用微藻類?
01:24
Here you see a graph圖形 showing展示 you the different不同 types類型
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這個圖表顯示著目前考慮
01:28
of crops作物 that are being存在 considered考慮 for making製造 biofuels生物燃料,
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用來生產生質能源的不同農作物
01:32
so you can see some things like soybean黃豆,
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你可以看到像是黃豆
01:35
which哪一個 makes品牌 50 gallons加侖 per acre英畝 per year,
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每英畝一年可生產五十加侖
01:37
or sunflower向日葵 or canola油菜 or jatropha麻風樹 or palm棕櫚, and that
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或是向日葵、油菜籽、痲瘋樹、和油棕
01:42
tall graph圖形 there shows節目 what microalgae微藻 can contribute有助於.
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然後那個很高的圖代表微藻的產量
01:46
That is to say, microalgae微藻 contributes有助於 between之間 2,000
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和黃豆的五十加侖產量相比
01:49
and 5,000 gallons加侖 per acre英畝 per year,
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微藻每英畝可在一年內生產
01:52
compared相比 to the 50 gallons加侖 per acre英畝 per year from soy黃豆.
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兩千至五千加侖的油
01:55
So what are microalgae微藻? Microalgae微藻 are micro --
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微藻是什麼?微藻是微生物
01:58
that is, they're extremely非常 small, as you can see here
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也就是說,他們很微小
02:01
a picture圖片 of those single-celled單細胞 organisms生物
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你可以看看這些單細胞生物
02:04
compared相比 to a human人的 hair頭髮.
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和頭髮大小相比的照片
02:06
Those small organisms生物 have been around
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這些微生物已經存在幾百萬年了
02:09
for millions百萬 of years年份 and there's thousands數千
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而且世界各地有上千種
02:11
of different不同 species種類 of microalgae微藻 in the world世界,
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不同種類的微藻
02:13
some of which哪一個 are the fastest-growing增長最快 plants植物 on the planet行星,
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其中有些是世界上生長最快的植物
02:16
and produce生產, as I just showed顯示 you, lots and lots of oil.
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並生產,就如我剛剛所說的,很多很多油
02:19
Now, why do we want to do this offshore海上?
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那為什麼我們選擇在沿岸做這個計劃?
02:23
Well, the reason原因 we're doing this offshore海上 is because
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選擇在都市沿岸的原因在於
02:26
if you look at our coastal沿海 cities城市, there isn't a choice選擇,
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如果你觀察沿海都市,會發現其實別無選擇
02:30
because we're going to use waste浪費 water, as I suggested建議,
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這是因為如我剛剛提到,我們將利用廢水
02:33
and if you look at where most of the waste浪費 water
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如果你看看我們的廢水處理廠的位置
02:35
treatment治療 plants植物 are, they're embedded嵌入式 in the cities城市.
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它們都在城市附近
02:38
This is the city of San Francisco弗朗西斯科, which哪一個 has 900 miles英里
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這是舊金山,它地底已埋了
02:42
of sewer下水道 pipes管道 under the city already已經,
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總長約九百英里的廢水管
02:45
and it releases發布 its waste浪費 water offshore海上.
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並將這些廢水排放到海裡
02:49
So different不同 cities城市 around the world世界 treat對待 their waste浪費 water
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世界各地的都市處理廢水的方式各有不同
02:53
differently不同. Some cities城市 process處理 it.
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有些都市會加以處理
02:55
Some cities城市 just release發布 the water.
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有些都市會直接排放
02:57
But in all cases, the water that's released發布 is
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但是無論如何,排出的廢水
02:59
perfectly完美 adequate充足 for growing生長 microalgae微藻.
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對於提供微藻生長是完全沒問題的
03:02
So let's envision預見 what the system系統 might威力 look like.
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所以讓我們想想這個系統會長什麼樣子
03:04
We call it OMEGAOMEGA, which哪一個 is an acronym縮寫 for
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我們叫它OMEGA,它是
03:06
Offshore海上 Membrane Enclosures外殼 for Growing生長 Algae藻類.
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「沿岸微藻生長包膜」的縮寫
(Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing Algae)
03:10
At NASANASA, you have to have good acronyms縮略詞.
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在NASA,有好的縮寫是很重要的
03:13
So how does it work? I sort分類 of showed顯示 you how it works作品 already已經.
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它將如何運作? 我剛剛已經敘述了大概
03:16
We put waste浪費 water and some source資源 of COCO2
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我們輸入廢水和某二氧化碳源
03:20
into our floating漂浮的 structure結構體,
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進入這些漂浮的結構中
03:23
and the waste浪費 water provides提供 nutrients營養成分 for the algae藻類 to grow增長,
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然後廢水提供微藻生長所需的養分
03:26
and they sequester隔離 COCO2 that would otherwise除此以外 go off
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而微藻消耗並固著二氧化碳
03:29
into the atmosphere大氣層 as a greenhouse溫室 gas加油站.
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減少溫室氣體
03:32
They of course課程 use solar太陽能 energy能源 to grow增長,
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它們當然是利用太陽能生長
03:34
and the wave energy能源 on the surface表面 provides提供 energy能源
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然後海浪會提供動能混合藻類
03:36
for mixing混合 the algae藻類, and the temperature溫度
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而溫度將會由周圍的水溫所控制
03:39
is controlled受控 by the surrounding周圍 water temperature溫度.
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而溫度將會由周圍的水溫所控制
03:41
The algae藻類 that grow增長 produce生產 oxygen, as I've mentioned提到,
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就如我所提的,藻類將生產氧氣
03:45
and they also produce生產 biofuels生物燃料 and fertilizer肥料 and food餐飲 and
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它們也會生產生質能源和肥料、食物
03:48
other bi-algal雙藻 products製品 of interest利益.
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以及其他藻類生物副產品
03:51
And the system系統 is contained. What do I mean by that?
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而且這整個系統是自我封閉的。這是麼意思?
03:55
It's modular模塊化. Let's say something happens發生 that's
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它是模塊化的。假設其中一個單元
03:57
totally完全 unexpected意外 to one of the modules模塊.
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出乎意料外的停擺
03:59
It leaks洩漏. It's struck來襲 by lightning閃電.
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它漏水了,或被閃電擊中
04:01
The waste浪費 water that leaks洩漏 out is water that already已經 now
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流出來的廢水是原本就會被排放到海域的
04:04
goes into that coastal沿海 environment環境, and
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流出來的廢水是原本就會被排放到海域的
04:06
the algae藻類 that leak洩漏 out are biodegradable可生物降解,
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而那些藻類是會自然分解的
04:09
and because they're living活的 in waste浪費 water,
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因為它們原本存活於廢水中
04:10
they're fresh新鮮 water algae藻類, which哪一個 means手段 they can't
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它們是淡水藻,這意味著
04:13
live生活 in salt water, so they die.
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它們無法於鹹水中生存,所以會死去
04:15
The plastic塑料 we'll build建立 it out of is some kind of
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我們將使用的塑膠材料
04:17
well-known知名 plastic塑料 that we have good experience經驗 with, and
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是一種廣泛使用的材料,效果良好
04:19
we'll rebuild重建 our modules模塊 to be able能夠 to reuse重用 them again.
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而且我們將設計這些單元,使之能重複使用
04:24
So we may可能 be able能夠 to go beyond that when thinking思維 about
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所以我們有可能超越現況思考
04:28
this system系統 that I'm showing展示 you, and that is to say
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來考慮這個系統的用途,我的意思是
04:30
we need to think in terms條款 of the water, the fresh新鮮 water,
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我們需要考慮淡水的問題
04:33
which哪一個 is also going to be an issue問題 in the future未來,
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淡水在未來將會是個急迫的課題
04:35
and we're working加工 on methods方法 now
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所以我們現在正研究開發
04:37
for recovering恢復 the waste浪費 water.
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重複利用廢水的方法
04:40
The other thing to consider考慮 is the structure結構體 itself本身.
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另外需要考慮的一點是架構本身
04:43
It provides提供 a surface表面 for things in the ocean海洋,
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它將在海洋中為生物提供表面積
04:46
and this surface表面, which哪一個 is covered覆蓋 by seaweeds海藻
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這些表面會被海藻占滿
04:49
and other organisms生物 in the ocean海洋,
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還有海洋中的其他生物
04:51
will become成為 enhanced增強 marine海洋 habitat棲息地
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它將提升海洋的棲地生態
04:55
so it increases增加 biodiversity生物多樣性.
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並增加生物多樣性
04:57
And finally最後, because it's an offshore海上 structure結構體,
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最後,因為它是在海岸邊的架構
04:59
we can think in terms條款 of how it might威力 contribute有助於
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我們可以想像它如何能夠增進
05:02
to an aquaculture水產養殖 activity活動 offshore海上.
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海岸的水產養殖活動
05:06
So you're probably大概 thinking思維, "Gee嘖嘖, this sounds聲音
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所以你大概在想 "天啊
05:07
like a good idea理念. What can we do to try to see if it's real真實?"
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這聽起來真是個好主意,我們如何試試看它能否成真?"
05:12
Well, I set up laboratories實驗室 in Santa聖誕老人 Cruz克魯茲
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我已在Santa Cruz設立實驗室
05:16
at the California加州 Fish and Game遊戲 facility設施,
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在加州漁獵部的場地
05:19
and that facility設施 allowed允許 us to have big seawater海水 tanks坦克
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那裡有設施提供我們設立大型的海水箱
05:22
to test測試 some of these ideas思路.
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來測試這些想法
05:24
We also set up experiments實驗 in San Francisco弗朗西斯科
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我們同時於舊金山設立實驗
05:26
at one of the three waste浪費 water treatment治療 plants植物,
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在那三個廢水處理廠其中之一
05:29
again a facility設施 to test測試 ideas思路.
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一樣來試驗我們的提案
05:32
And finally最後, we wanted to see where we could look at
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最後,我們想看看要在哪裡
05:35
what the impact碰撞 of this structure結構體 would be
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能夠測試這個架構對海洋環境的影響
05:38
in the marine海洋 environment環境, and we set up a field領域 site現場
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所以我們設立了一個野地實驗
05:41
at a place地點 called Moss苔蘚 Landing降落 Marine海洋 Lab實驗室
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在一個叫 Moss Landing 海洋實驗室的地方
05:44
in Monterey蒙特雷 Bay, where we worked工作 in a harbor港口
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位於蒙特利灣,我們在海港內實驗
05:46
to see what impact碰撞 this would have on marine海洋 organisms生物.
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看看這對海洋生物的影響會是什麼
05:51
The laboratory實驗室 that we set up in Santa聖誕老人 Cruz克魯茲 was our skunkworks科研重地.
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在 Santa Cruz 的實驗室是我們的開發中心
05:54
It was a place地點 where we were growing生長 algae藻類
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我們在那裡培養藻類
05:57
and welding焊接 plastic塑料 and building建造 tools工具
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融合塑膠、建造工具
06:00
and making製造 a lot of mistakes錯誤,
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和出了很多差錯
06:01
or, as Edison愛迪生 said, we were
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或是如艾迪生所說的
06:03
finding發現 the 10,000 ways方法 that the system系統 wouldn't不會 work.
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我們正發現這系統無法運作的一萬個原因
06:06
Now, we grew成長 algae藻類 in waste浪費 water, and we built內置 tools工具
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所以我們在廢水中養微藻,並設計工具
06:11
that allowed允許 us to get into the lives生活 of algae藻類
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讓我們能夠融入藻類生活
06:14
so that we could monitor監控 the way they grow增長,
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密切監測它們成長的方式
06:16
what makes品牌 them happy快樂, how do we make sure that
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看如何讓它們開心生活
06:19
we're going to have a culture文化 that will survive生存 and thrive興旺.
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以確保我們培養的藻類能夠生存茁壯
06:22
So the most important重要 feature特徵 that we needed需要 to develop發展 were these
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而我們最迫切需要設計的東西
06:26
so-called所謂 photobioreactors光生物反應器, or PBRsPBRS.
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是這些生物光合反應器,我們簡稱PBR
(photobioreactor)
06:28
These were the structures結構 that would be floating漂浮的 at the
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這些就是將會漂浮於海面的結構
06:30
surface表面 made製作 out of some inexpensive便宜 plastic塑料 material材料
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用某種便宜的塑膠材料製作
06:33
that'll那會 allow允許 the algae藻類 to grow增長, and we had built內置 lots and lots
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使微藻能在其中成長,而我們也測試了
06:36
of designs設計, most of which哪一個 were horrible可怕 failures故障,
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許許多多不同的設計,大多都是失敗的作品
06:39
and when we finally最後 got to a design設計 that worked工作,
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當我們找到一個成功的設計
06:41
at about 30 gallons加侖, we scaled縮放 it up
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在約三十加侖的大小
06:43
to 450 gallons加侖 in San Francisco弗朗西斯科.
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我們在舊金山把它放大到450加侖測驗
06:47
So let me show顯示 you how the system系統 works作品.
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讓我告訴你這系統如何運作
06:49
We basically基本上 take waste浪費 water with algae藻類 of our choice選擇 in it,
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我們基本上採用內含經挑選的藻類的廢水
06:53
and we circulate流通 it through通過 this floating漂浮的 structure結構體,
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並將之循環通過這個漂浮的結構
06:56
this tubular管狀的, flexible靈活 plastic塑料 structure結構體,
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這個管狀、有彈性的塑膠結構
06:58
and it circulates循環 through通過 this thing,
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然後它將在這裡面循環
07:00
and there's sunlight陽光 of course課程, it's at the surface表面,
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當然,太陽光會照在表面
07:03
and the algae藻類 grow增長 on the nutrients營養成分.
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然後藻類吸取養份成長
07:05
But this is a bit like putting your head in a plastic塑料 bag.
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但這有點像把你的頭塞到塑膠袋裡
07:07
The algae藻類 are not going to suffocate窒息 because of COCO2,
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雖然藻類並不會像我們一樣因二氧化碳而窒息
07:11
as we would.
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雖然藻類並不會像我們一樣因二氧化碳而窒息
07:12
They suffocate窒息 because they produce生產 oxygen, and they
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但它們會因製造的氧氣而窒息
07:14
don't really suffocate窒息, but the oxygen that they produce生產
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它不是真的會窒息,但是它們產生的氧氣是個問題
07:16
is problematic問題, and they use up all the COCO2.
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因為它們會把二氧化碳用完
07:19
So the next下一個 thing we had to figure數字 out was how we could
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所以我們的下一步便是想辦法移除氧氣
07:22
remove去掉 the oxygen, which哪一個 we did by building建造 this column
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我們加了這個柱狀體
07:25
which哪一個 circulated流傳 some of the water,
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用來循環部分的水
07:27
and put back COCO2, which哪一個 we did by bubbling冒泡 the system系統
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並重新加入二氧化碳,我們再循環水之前
07:30
before we recirculated再循環 the water.
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灌注氣泡在裡頭,解決問題
07:32
And what you see here is the prototype原型,
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你再這裡看見的昰初成品
07:34
which哪一個 was the first attempt嘗試 at building建造 this type類型 of column.
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是我們第一次試著建造這個柱狀物
07:38
The larger column that we then installed安裝 in San Francisco弗朗西斯科
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我們將大型的柱狀結構安裝於舊金山
07:40
in the installed安裝 system系統.
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在我們安裝的系統裡
07:42
So the column actually其實 had another另一個 very nice不錯 feature特徵,
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這個柱狀的構造還有一個優點
07:45
and that is the algae藻類 settle解決 in the column,
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就是藻類會沉澱到柱子底部
07:48
and this allowed允許 us to accumulate積累 the algal藻類 biomass生物質
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這使我們能夠累積微藻體積
07:52
in a context上下文 where we could easily容易 harvest收成 it.
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並方便收成
07:55
So we would remove去掉 the algaes海藻 that concentrated集中
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我們可以將累積於柱子底部的微藻移除
07:58
in the bottom底部 of this column, and then we could
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我們可以將累積於柱子底部的微藻移除
08:00
harvest收成 that by a procedure程序 where you float浮動 the algae藻類
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然後讓它漂浮在水中,再用網子從表面撈取
08:04
to the surface表面 and can skim撇去 it off with a net.
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以大量收成
08:08
So we wanted to also investigate調查 what would be the impact碰撞
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我們也想要了解這個結構
08:12
of this system系統 in the marine海洋 environment環境,
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對於海洋環境的影響
08:15
and I mentioned提到 we set up this experiment實驗 at a field領域 site現場
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而我之前提到我們有實際於野外實驗
08:18
in Moss苔蘚 Landing降落 Marine海洋 Lab實驗室.
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在Moss Landing海洋實驗室
08:20
Well, we found發現 of course課程 that this material材料 became成為
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我們理所當然地發現這些材料
08:23
overgrown發育過度的 with algae藻類, and we needed需要 then to develop發展
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會被海藻覆蓋,所以我們需要
08:26
a cleaning清潔的 procedure程序, and we also looked看著 at how
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設計一個清潔的方法
08:29
seabirds海鳥 and marine海洋 mammals哺乳動物 interacted互動, and in fact事實 you
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我們也觀察海洋哺乳類和鳥類的與此互動
08:31
see here a sea otter that found發現 this incredibly令人難以置信 interesting有趣,
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你在這裡可見一隻海獺對這個挺有興趣的
08:34
and would periodically定期 work its way across橫過 this little
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牠不時地於這個迷你水床中穿梭
08:38
floating漂浮的 water bed, and we wanted to hire聘請 this guy
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我們好想要雇用這個小傢伙
08:40
or train培養 him to be able能夠 to clean清潔 the surface表面
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或訓練他幫我們清理這些結構的表面之類的
08:43
of these things, but that's for the future未來.
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但那是未來的事
08:45
Now really what we were doing,
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所以我們真正在做的昰
08:46
we were working加工 in four areas.
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我們於四個方面進行研究
08:48
Our research研究 covered覆蓋 the biology生物學 of the system系統,
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我們的研究範圍包含這個系統的生物方面
08:51
which哪一個 included包括 studying研究 the way algae藻類 grew成長,
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像是研究藻類的生長方式
08:53
but also what eats the algae藻類, and what kills殺死 the algae藻類.
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什麼東西會吃掉微藻,還有什麼東西會殺死它
08:57
We did engineering工程 to understand理解 what we would need
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我們於工程方面了解我們需要什麼材料
08:59
to be able能夠 to do to build建立 this structure結構體,
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來建造整個結構
09:01
not only on the small scale規模, but how we would build建立 it
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不止是小規模,而是如何建造
09:04
on this enormous巨大 scale規模 that will ultimately最終 be required需要.
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我們最終需要的極大規模的成品
09:07
I mentioned提到 we looked看著 at birds鳥類 and marine海洋 mammals哺乳動物
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我有提到我們研究鳥類和海洋哺乳類
09:10
and looked看著 at basically基本上 the environmental環境的 impact碰撞
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並基本上全面評估它的環境影響
09:13
of the system系統, and finally最後 we looked看著 at the economics經濟學,
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最後我們解決經濟方面的問題
09:16
and what I mean by economics經濟學 is,
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我所指的經濟是
09:18
what is the energy能源 required需要 to run the system系統?
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這系統需要多少能源來運作?
09:21
Do you get more energy能源 out of the system系統
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你能夠從系統提出
09:22
than you have to put into the system系統
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比你所輸入還要更多的能源嗎?
09:24
to be able能夠 to make the system系統 run?
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比你所輸入還要更多的能源嗎?
09:26
And what about operating操作 costs成本?
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它的運作成本多少?
09:28
And what about capital首都 costs成本?
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它需要多少資本?
09:30
And what about, just, the whole整個 economic經濟 structure結構體?
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它整體的經濟架構穩固嗎?
09:34
So let me tell you that it's not going to be easy簡單,
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讓我告訴你這將不會是簡單的事
09:37
and there's lots more work to do in all four
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我們在這四個方面都還有很多努力空間
09:39
of those areas to be able能夠 to really make the system系統 work.
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才有辦法讓這個系統真正運作
09:43
But we don't have a lot of time, and I'd like to show顯示 you
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但是我們時間不多,所以我想給你看
09:46
the artist's藝術家 conception概念 of how this system系統 might威力 look
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我們預計這個系統將會如何呈現
09:49
if we find ourselves我們自己 in a protected保護 bay
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於一個想像的海灣
09:52
somewhere某處 in the world世界, and we have in the background背景
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在世界的某處,在背景中
09:55
in this image圖片, the waste浪費 water treatment治療 plant
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可見廢水處理廠
09:58
and a source資源 of flue煙道 gas加油站 for the COCO2,
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以及提供二氧化碳的排氣煙囪
10:01
but when you do the economics經濟學 of this system系統,
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但是當你算算系統的經濟收支
10:03
you find that in fact事實 it will be difficult to make it work.
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你會發現僅這樣是很難運作的
10:06
Unless除非 you look at the system系統 as a way to treat對待 waste浪費 water,
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除非你把這系統想成廢水處理的替代方式
10:11
sequester隔離 carbon, and potentially可能 for photovoltaic光伏 panels面板
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並有固碳、結合太陽發電
10:15
or wave energy能源 or even wind energy能源,
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或是海潮發電、風力發電等可能性
10:18
and if you start開始 thinking思維 in terms條款 of
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如果你開始思考
10:20
integrating整合 all of these different不同 activities活動,
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如何結合各式各樣的活動
10:23
you could also include包括 in such這樣 a facility設施 aquaculture水產養殖.
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你也可以在這個系統加入水產養殖
10:27
So we would have under this system系統 a shellfish貝類 aquaculture水產養殖
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像是在這個系統底下我們有貝類養殖
10:30
where we're growing生長 mussels青口貝 or scallops扇貝.
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可以生產蛤蠣或是淡菜
10:32
We'd星期三 be growing生長 oysters生蠔 and things
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我們可以生產生蠔等等
10:35
that would be producing生產 high value products製品 and food餐飲,
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可以提高經濟價值的食物和產品
10:38
and this would be a market市場 driver司機 as we build建立 the system系統
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然後利用這點來刺激市場
10:41
to larger and larger scales so that it becomes, ultimately最終,
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慢慢把系統越做越大,直到最後
10:44
competitive競爭的 with the idea理念 of doing it for fuels燃料.
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將之作為生產生質燃料來源的理由才有競爭力
10:50
So there's always a big question that comes up,
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還有一個問題常常浮現
10:53
because plastic塑料 in the ocean海洋 has got a really bad reputation聲譽
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就是塑膠在海洋中一直有很不好的聲譽
10:56
right now, and so we've我們已經 been thinking思維 cradle搖籃 to cradle搖籃.
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因此,我們用搖籃到搖籃 (綠色經濟概念) 觀點思考
10:59
What are we going to do with all this plastic塑料 that we're
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我們要如何處理這些
我們需要在海洋環境中運用的塑膠?
11:02
going to need to use in our marine海洋 environment環境?
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我們要如何處理這些
我們需要在海洋環境中運用的塑膠?
11:04
Well, I don't know if you know about this,
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我不知道你有沒有聽說這事
11:06
but in California加州, there's a huge巨大 amount of plastic塑料
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但是在加州,有大量的塑膠
11:09
that's used in fields領域 right now as plastic塑料 mulch護根,
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現在正被利用於農田中當作塑膠護跟覆蓋物
11:12
and this is plastic塑料 that's making製造 these tiny little greenhouses大棚
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塑膠在土壤表面形成極小的溫室
11:15
right along沿 the surface表面 of the soil, and this provides提供
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它可以提高土壤表面溫度
11:18
warming變暖 the soil to increase增加 the growing生長 season季節,
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以延長生長季節
11:21
it allows允許 us to control控制 weeds雜草,
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並控制雜草
11:24
and, of course課程, it makes品牌 the watering灑水 much more efficient高效.
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當然,它也提高灌溉的效率
11:27
So the OMEGAOMEGA system系統 will be part部分
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所以OMEGA系統將會
11:30
of this type類型 of an outcome結果, and that when we're finished
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加入這個產物,所以當我們於海洋環境用完後
11:33
using運用 it in the marine海洋 environment環境, we'll be using運用 it,
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加入這個產物,所以當我們於海洋環境用完後
11:36
hopefully希望, on fields領域.
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我們將會將它利用於農田中
11:38
Where are we going to put this,
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那我們到底要把這個系統放哪?
11:39
and what will it look like offshore海上?
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它在海岸線會長什麼樣子?
11:42
Here's這裡的 an image圖片 of what we could do in San Francisco弗朗西斯科 Bay.
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這個影像是將這套系統用於舊金山灣的樣子
11:45
San Francisco弗朗西斯科 produces產生 65 million百萬 gallons加侖 a day
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舊金山一天製造六千五百萬加侖的廢水
11:48
of waste浪費 water. If we imagine想像 a five-day五天 retention保留 time
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如果我們假設這系統的保水時間是五天
11:50
for this system系統, we'd星期三 need 325 million百萬 gallons加侖
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我們將需要容納三億兩千五百萬加侖
11:53
to accomodate適應, and that would be about 1,280 acres
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差不多是1280英畝大的OMEGA系統
11:57
of these OMEGAOMEGA modules模塊 floating漂浮的 in San Francisco弗朗西斯科 Bay.
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漂浮在舊金山灣中
12:00
Well, that's less than one percent百分
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其實那是小於舊金山灣的面積的百分之一
12:02
of the surface表面 area of the bay.
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其實那是小於舊金山灣的面積的百分之一
12:04
It would produce生產, at 2,000 gallons加侖 per acre英畝 per year,
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若以每年每英畝兩千加侖計算
12:08
it would produce生產 over 2 million百萬 gallons加侖 of fuel汽油,
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它將生產大於兩百萬加侖的生質燃料
12:11
which哪一個 is about 20 percent百分 of the biodiesel生物柴油,
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那是舊金山生質柴油的需求量的20%
12:13
or of the diesel柴油機 that would be required需要 in San Francisco弗朗西斯科,
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那是舊金山生質柴油的需求量的20%
12:16
and that's without doing anything about efficiency效率.
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而且這還是尚未加強效率的計算
12:19
Where else其他 could we potentially可能 put this system系統?
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我們還可以把這系統放在哪裡?
12:22
There's lots of possibilities可能性.
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可能性很多
12:25
There's, of course課程, San Francisco弗朗西斯科 Bay, as I mentioned提到.
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像我之前提到,有舊金山灣
12:27
San Diego迭戈 Bay is another另一個 example,
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聖地牙哥灣是另一個例子
12:29
Mobile移動 Bay or Chesapeake切薩皮克 Bay, but the reality現實 is,
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莫比爾灣或是切薩皮克灣,但事實是
12:32
as sea level水平 rises上升, there's going to be lots and lots
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隨著海平面上升,將會有
12:34
of new opportunities機會 to consider考慮. (Laughter笑聲)
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許多的新機會 (笑聲)
12:38
So what I'm telling告訴 you about is a system系統
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所以我現在像你描述的昰
12:41
of integrated集成 activities活動.
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一個融合各種活動的系統
12:45
Biofuels生物燃料 production生產 is integrated集成 with alternative替代 energy能源
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生質燃料結合替代能源
12:47
is integrated集成 with aquaculture水產養殖.
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結合水產養殖
12:50
I set out to find a pathway
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我開始是為了尋找一個
12:54
to innovative創新 production生產 of sustainable可持續發展 biofuels生物燃料,
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能夠永續生產生質燃料的創新方法
13:00
and en route路線 I discovered發現 that what's really required需要
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而在這過程中,我發現達到永續經營真正需要的
13:03
for sustainability可持續性 is integration積分 more than innovation革新.
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不是創新,而是整合現有的系統
13:10
Long term術語, I have great faith信仰
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長遠來看,我有信心
13:14
in our collective集體 and connected連接的 ingenuity創造力.
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我們的集體智慧能夠激出火花
13:19
I think there is almost幾乎 no limit限制 to what we can accomplish完成
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我相信如果我們激進求新
13:23
if we are radically根本 open打開
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並不在乎最後功歸於何人
13:25
and we don't care關心 who gets得到 the credit信用.
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沒有任何東西能夠限制我們能的成就
13:29
Sustainable可持續發展 solutions解決方案 for our future未來 problems問題
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解決我們未來難題的永續方案
13:33
are going to be diverse多種
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將會是多元化的
13:36
and are going to be many許多.
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並有許多可能
13:38
I think we need to consider考慮 everything,
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我認為我們需要考慮所有方面
13:41
everything from alphaα to OMEGAOMEGA.
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自 alpha (希臘字母的的一個) 至OMEGA (最後一個)
13:44
Thank you. (Applause掌聲)
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謝謝 (掌聲)
13:47
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
13:53
Chris克里斯 Anderson安德森: Just a quick question for you, Jonathan喬納森.
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Chris Anderson(主持人) : Jonathan 我有個問題
13:56
Can this project項目 continue繼續 to move移動 forward前鋒 within
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這個計畫可以持續在NASA內部進行
13:58
NASANASA or do you need some very ambitious有雄心
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還是你們現在需要有企圖心的綠能基金
14:02
green綠色 energy能源 fund基金 to come and take it by the throat?
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來注入資金並促使它完成?
14:06
Jonathan喬納森 Trent特倫特: So it's really gotten得到 to a stage階段 now
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Jonathan Trent : 現在已到了一個階段
14:08
in NASANASA where they would like to spin it out into something
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NASA有意願將這個系統實際
14:11
which哪一個 would go offshore海上, and there are a lot of issues問題
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在海岸操作,但是在美國境內
14:13
with doing it in the United聯合的 States狀態 because of limited有限
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有許多問題因為有許多證照限制
14:15
permitting允許 issues問題 and the time required需要 to get permits許可證
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並且申請於外海作業的證照
14:18
to do things offshore海上.
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過程冗長
14:19
It really requires要求, at this point, people on the outside,
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所以現在真正需要外界人士
14:22
and we're being存在 radically根本 open打開 with this technology技術
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而我們也很前衛的開放這個技術
14:24
in which哪一個 we're going to launch發射 it out there
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我們基本上就要把它推出去
14:26
for anybody任何人 and everybody每個人 who's誰是 interested有興趣
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所有以及任何有興趣的人
14:28
to take it on and try to make it real真實.
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都可以試著把它實踐
14:30
CACA: So that's interesting有趣. You're not patenting專利 it.
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CA: 這真有趣,你們並不要把它變成專利
14:33
You're publishing出版 it.
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你們要將之發表
14:34
JTJT: Absolutely絕對.
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JT: 一點也沒錯
14:35
CACA: All right. Thank you so much.
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CA: 非常好。謝謝你。
14:37
JTJT: Thank you. (Applause掌聲)
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JT: 謝謝 (掌聲)
Translated by Anny Chung
Reviewed by Gina Wang

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Jonathan Trent - Scientist and biofuel guru
Not only does Jonathan Trent grow algae for biofuel, he wants to do so by cleansing wastewater and trapping carbon dioxide in the process. And it’s all solar-powered.

Why you should listen

Jonathan Trent works at NASA’s nanotechnology department, where he builds microscopic devices out of proteins from extremophiles -- bacteria that live in the world’s harshest environments. It isn’t the logical place to start a biofuel project. But in 2008, after watching enzymes chomp through plant cells, Trent started thinking about biofuels. And, because he has a background in marine biology, he started thinking about algae and the oceans.

Thus was born OMEGA, or the Offshore Membrane Enclosure for Growing Algae. This technology aims at re-using the wastewater of coastal cities that is currently piped out and disposed into the seas. Fueled by the sun and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the algae eat the waste and produce oils that can be converted to fuel. Unlike growing corn for ethanol, OMEGA doesn’t threaten the world’s food supply.

More profile about the speaker
Jonathan Trent | Speaker | TED.com