TEDGlobal 2011
Justin Hall-Tipping: Freeing energy from the grid
賈斯汀•霍爾題賓：從框架中解放電力
Filmed:
Readability: 3.8
1,182,680 views
如果能用玻璃窗發電會是怎麼樣的情況？企業家賈斯汀．霍爾堤賓在他精彩的演說中介紹了具有這種能讓這種想法成真的材料，以及我們如何不斷探求，讓“正常”的概念轉變成非凡的突破。
Justin Hall-Tipping - Science entrepreneur
Justin Hall-Tipping works on nano-energy startups -- mastering the electron to create power. Full bio
Justin Hall-Tipping works on nano-energy startups -- mastering the electron to create power. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:16
Why can't we solve these problems?
0
1000
5000
為何我們無法解決這些問題？
00:21
We know what they are.
1
6000
3000
我們知道問題在那
00:24
Something always seems to stop us.
2
9000
4000
但會有困難阻撓著我們
00:28
Why?
3
13000
3000
為什麼?
00:31
I remember March the 15th, 2000.
4
16000
4000
我記得2000年的三月十五日
00:35
The B15 iceberg broke off the Ross Ice Shelf.
5
20000
4000
B15冰山從羅斯冰架斷落
00:39
In the newspaper it said
6
24000
3000
報紙中這樣寫著
00:42
"it was all part of a normal process."
7
27000
3000
這是正常過程的一部份
00:45
A little bit further on in the article
8
30000
3000
文章接著提到
00:48
it said "a loss that would normally take
9
33000
3000
這樣的冰正常需要
00:51
the ice shelf 50-100 years to replace."
10
36000
5000
50到100年來復原
00:58
That same word, "normal,"
11
43000
3000
正常
01:01
had two different,
12
46000
2000
有兩個不同
01:03
almost opposite meanings.
13
48000
3000
幾乎相反的意思
01:06
If we walk into the B15 iceberg
14
51000
3000
如果我們走入B15冰山
01:09
when we leave here today,
15
54000
3000
我是說在今日會後的時候
01:12
we're going to bump into something
16
57000
3000
我們會見到
01:15
a thousand feet tall,
17
60000
2000
一千英呎高
01:17
76 miles long,
18
62000
4000
76英里長
01:21
17 miles wide,
19
66000
3000
17英哩寬
01:24
and it's going to weigh two gigatons.
20
69000
3000
且重達兩億頓的冰
01:27
I'm sorry, there's nothing normal about this.
21
72000
3000
這一點都不正常
01:30
And yet I think it's this perspective of us
22
75000
3000
而我們人類就是用這樣的觀點
01:33
as humans to look at our world
23
78000
3000
在看我們的世界
01:36
through the lens of normal
24
81000
2000
把所有事物看作正常
01:38
is one of the forces
25
83000
2000
就是這股力量
01:40
that stops us developing real solutions.
26
85000
4000
阻止了我們來找出真正的解決方案
01:46
Only 90 days after this,
27
91000
3000
冰山斷落3個月後
01:49
arguably the greatest discovery
28
94000
2000
可能是本世紀
01:51
of the last century occurred.
29
96000
2000
最偉大的發現出現了
01:53
It was the sequencing for the first time
30
98000
2000
人們第一次排序出
01:55
of the human genome.
31
100000
3000
人的基因
01:58
This is the code that's in every single one
32
103000
4000
這是我們體內50兆細胞中的
02:02
of our 50 trillion cells
33
107000
2000
密碼
02:04
that makes us who we are and what we are.
34
109000
4000
這個密碼決定了人的一切
02:08
And if we just take one cell's worth
35
113000
2000
如果我們了解了一個細胞
02:10
of this code and unwind it,
36
115000
3000
攤開其中的密碼
02:15
it's a meter long,
37
120000
4000
它長約一公尺
02:19
two nanometers thick.
38
124000
2000
兩奈米寬
02:21
Two nanometers is 20 atoms in thickness.
39
126000
4000
兩奈米是20個原子的厚度
02:25
And I wondered,
40
130000
2000
我就在想
02:27
what if the answer to some of our biggest problems
41
132000
3000
如果大問題的解答
02:30
could be found in the smallest of places,
42
135000
3000
可以在最小的地方找到
02:33
where the difference between what is
43
138000
2000
且小到由幾個原子就能決定
02:35
valuable and what is worthless
44
140000
2000
一件事的價值
02:37
is merely the addition or subtraction
45
142000
2000
那會是怎樣的
02:39
of a few atoms?
46
144000
2000
一個情況呢?
02:41
And what
47
146000
2000
要是
02:43
if we could get exquisite control
48
148000
3000
我們能夠精確得控制
02:46
over the essence of energy,
49
151000
2000
能量的精髓
02:48
the electron?
50
153000
3000
電子呢?
02:51
So I started to go around the world
51
156000
2000
於是我走遍世界各地的大學
02:53
finding the best and brightest scientists
52
158000
2000
尋找最優秀的科學家
02:55
I could at universities
53
160000
2000
希望他們的合作
02:57
whose collective discoveries have the chance
54
162000
2000
希望他們共同的研究可以
02:59
to take us there,
55
164000
2000
幫助我們達成
03:01
and we formed a company to build
56
166000
2000
我們成立了一家公司
03:03
on their extraordinary ideas.
57
168000
2000
來將他們的想法付諸行動
03:05
Six and a half years later,
58
170000
2000
六年半後
03:07
a hundred and eighty researchers,
59
172000
2000
一共180位研究人員
03:09
they have some amazing developments
60
174000
2000
在實驗室中有了
03:11
in the lab,
61
176000
2000
驚人的發展
03:13
and I will show you three of those today,
62
178000
2000
我今天會給各位看其中三個
03:15
such that we can stop burning up our planet
63
180000
3000
如此我們就能停止燃燒地球
03:18
and instead,
64
183000
2000
而且
03:20
we can generate all the energy we need
65
185000
3000
我們能產生所需的所有電力
03:23
right where we are,
66
188000
2000
不論你在那裡
03:25
cleanly, safely, and cheaply.
67
190000
3000
乾淨、安全、廉價
03:28
Think of the space that we spend
68
193000
2000
想一想我們大部份時間身處
03:30
most of our time.
69
195000
2000
的空間
03:32
A tremendous amount of energy
70
197000
2000
有大量的能源從太陽
03:34
is coming at us from the sun.
71
199000
2000
正射向我們
03:36
We like the light that comes into the room,
72
201000
2000
我們喜歡屋裡有光線
03:38
but in the middle of summer,
73
203000
2000
但是在夏天最炎熱時
03:40
all that heat is coming into the room
74
205000
2000
當這些熱氣一直進到屋裡時
03:42
that we're trying to keep cool.
75
207000
2000
我們卻想保持屋內涼爽
03:44
In winter, exactly the opposite is happening.
76
209000
2000
冬天時則完全相反
03:46
We're trying to heat up
77
211000
1000
我們會想讓我們身處的
03:47
the space that we're in,
78
212000
2000
空間抱持溫暖
03:49
and all that is trying to get out through the window.
79
214000
2000
而這些暖氣卻又從窗子溜走
03:51
Wouldn't it be really great
80
216000
2000
如果我們能
03:55
if the window could flick back the heat
81
220000
2000
需要熱氣時
03:57
into the room if we needed it
82
222000
2000
將它留在屋內或在它進來前
03:59
or flick it away before it came in?
83
224000
2000
折射回去，這會有多好?
04:01
One of the materials that can do this
84
226000
2000
有一個材料就可以做得到
04:03
is a remarkable material, carbon,
85
228000
5000
這個了不起的材料就是碳
04:08
that has changed its form in this incredibly beautiful reaction
86
233000
3000
碳經過一個美妙的反應後改變了它的樣貌
04:11
where graphite is blasted by a vapor,
87
236000
4000
它被蒸氣衝擊而汽化
04:16
and when the vaporized carbon condenses,
88
241000
4000
然後當它冷凝後
04:20
it condenses back into a different form:
89
245000
3000
它凝結成不一樣的外貌，看起來像
04:23
chickenwire rolled up.
90
248000
3000
圈起來的鐵絲網
04:26
But this chickenwire carbon,
91
251000
2000
但這個網狀的鐵絲網
04:28
called a carbon nanotube,
92
253000
2000
叫做奈米碳管
04:30
is a hundred thousand times smaller
93
255000
2000
它比你的毛髮
04:32
than the width of one of your hairs.
94
257000
3000
還細上10萬倍
04:35
It's a thousand times
95
260000
2000
而導電性又比銅
04:37
more conductive than copper.
96
262000
2000
高上一千倍
04:40
How is that possible?
97
265000
3000
怎麼可能有這樣的東西?
04:45
One of the things about working at the nanoscale
98
270000
4000
東西在奈米大小時
04:49
is things look and act very differently.
99
274000
3000
功能與外觀都非常不一樣
04:52
You think of carbon as black.
100
277000
3000
你認為碳是黑的
04:58
Carbon at the nanoscale
101
283000
3000
但是奈米碳
05:01
is actually transparent
102
286000
3000
其實是透明的
05:04
and flexible.
103
289000
3000
且具彈性的
05:09
And when it's in this form,
104
294000
2000
當碳在這個狀態時
05:11
if I combine it with a polymer
105
296000
3000
將它與聚合物結合
05:14
and affix it to your window
106
299000
3000
黏到你的窗上時
05:17
when it's in its colored state,
107
302000
3000
在有色的狀態下
05:20
it will reflect away all heat and light,
108
305000
3000
它會將光熱隔絕在外
05:23
and when it's in its bleached state
109
308000
2000
而在無色的狀態下
05:25
it will let all the light and heat through
110
310000
3000
光與熱卻能穿透它
05:28
and any combination in between.
111
313000
3000
及中間的任何物質
05:31
To change its state, by the way,
112
316000
3000
順道一提，只需要
05:34
takes two volts from a millisecond pulse.
113
319000
3000
從1毫秒脈衝中提取2伏特電力即可改變它的狀態。
05:37
And once you've changed its state, it stays there
114
322000
3000
而一旦你改變了它的狀態，它就會維持在那個狀態
05:40
until you change its state again.
115
325000
3000
一直到你再改變它為止
05:43
As we were working on this incredible
116
328000
2000
當我們在佛羅里達大學進行這項
05:45
discovery at University of Florida,
117
330000
2000
不可思議的研究時
05:47
we were told to go down the corridor
118
332000
3000
有人叫我們到同樣在那裡做研究的
05:50
to visit another scientist,
119
335000
2000
另外一名科學家
05:52
and he was working
120
337000
2000
他在研究的是
05:54
on a pretty incredible thing.
121
339000
2000
相當了不起的東西
05:56
Imagine
122
341000
2000
相像一下
05:58
if we didn't have to rely
123
343000
2000
如果我們在夜晚時
06:00
on artificial lighting to get around at night.
124
345000
4000
不再須要仰賴人工照明了
06:06
We'd have to see at night, right?
125
351000
4000
但是我們又要能看得見，對吧?
06:12
This lets you do it.
126
357000
2000
用這個就做得到
06:14
It's a nanomaterial, two nanomaterials,
127
359000
3000
這是兩種奈米材料組成的
06:17
a detector and an imager.
128
362000
3000
偵測器及顯像器
06:20
The total width of it
129
365000
2000
它們的總寬度比
06:22
is 600 times smaller
130
367000
2000
小數點還小上
06:24
than the width of a decimal place.
131
369000
3000
600倍
06:27
And it takes all the infrared available at night,
132
372000
4000
它會將夜間的紅外線
06:31
converts it into an electron
133
376000
3000
在這兩片薄膜間
06:34
in the space of two small films,
134
379000
3000
轉變成電子
06:37
and is enabling you to play an image
135
382000
3000
它不只能播放影像
06:40
which you can see through.
136
385000
3000
它還是透明的
06:47
I'm going to show to TEDsters,
137
392000
3000
我現在要展示給在TED的各位
06:50
the first time, this operating.
138
395000
2000
這是它第一次運作
06:52
Firstly I'm going to show you
139
397000
2000
首先你們看到的是
06:54
the transparency.
140
399000
3000
透明薄膜
06:57
Transparency is key.
141
402000
4000
這透明性是關鍵
07:01
It's a film that you can look through.
142
406000
3000
你能完全看透它
07:04
And then I'm going to turn the lights out.
143
409000
3000
然後我要把燈關掉
07:07
And you can see, off a tiny film,
144
412000
3000
你透過這個薄膜
07:10
incredible clarity.
145
415000
4000
看的非常清楚
07:14
As we were working on this, it dawned on us:
146
419000
4000
而在研究它時，我們突然想到
07:18
this is taking infrared radiation, wavelengths,
147
423000
4000
它會將紅外線及波長
07:22
and converting it into electrons.
148
427000
3000
轉換成電子
07:25
What if we combined it
149
430000
6000
要是我們將它與這個
07:31
with this?
150
436000
3000
結合呢?
07:34
Suddenly you've converted energy
151
439000
3000
如此你就能將能源
07:37
into an electron on a plastic surface
152
442000
4000
在你黏於窗上的塑料上
07:41
that you can stick on your window.
153
446000
3000
轉換成電子
07:44
But because it's flexible,
154
449000
2000
但是因為它是有彈性的
07:46
it can be on any surface whatsoever.
155
451000
4000
它可以附著於任何表面
07:50
The power plant of tomorrow
156
455000
3000
未來的發電廠
07:53
is no power plant.
157
458000
7000
不在是ㄧ座座的工廠
08:00
We talked about generating and using.
158
465000
3000
我們已經聊了發電跟應用
08:03
We want to talk about storing energy,
159
468000
2000
我們現在要聊如何蓄電
08:05
and unfortunately
160
470000
2000
很不幸的是
08:07
the best thing we've got going
161
472000
2000
我們手上最好的蓄電器材
08:09
is something that was developed in France
162
474000
2000
是法國在ㄧ百五十年前
08:11
a hundred and fifty years ago,
163
476000
2000
所發展出來的
08:13
the lead acid battery.
164
478000
2000
鉛蓄電池
08:15
In terms of dollars per what's stored,
165
480000
2000
從成本來考量的話
08:17
it's simply the best.
166
482000
2000
這是最好的選擇
08:19
Knowing that we're not going to put fifty of
167
484000
2000
雖然這樣，但我們不想要放五十個鉛蓄電池
08:21
these in our basements to store our power,
168
486000
2000
在我們的地下室來存儲電力
08:23
we went to a group at University of Texas at Dallas,
169
488000
2000
我們在德州大學找到ㄧ個研究小組
08:25
and we gave them this diagram.
170
490000
2000
然後我們給他們看了這張設計圖
08:27
It was in actually a diner
171
492000
2000
當時我們其實是在
08:29
outside of Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.
172
494000
2000
達拉斯的沃斯堡機場外的ㄧ個小餐廳
08:31
We said, "Could you build this?"
173
496000
2000
我們問：「你們能建造這個東西嗎?」
08:33
And these scientists,
174
498000
2000
而這些科學家
08:35
instead of laughing at us, said, "Yeah."
175
500000
2000
非但沒嘲笑我們的想法，反而回答：「可以」
08:37
And what they built was eBox.
176
502000
3000
他們作出來的東西叫做電子盒
08:40
EBox is testing new nanomaterials
177
505000
2000
目前正在測試新的奈米材料
08:42
to park an electron on the outside,
178
507000
3000
用以存儲戶外的電子
08:45
hold it until you need it,
179
510000
3000
直到我們要用的時候
08:48
and then be able to release it and pass it off.
180
513000
3000
再把電子釋放出來
08:51
Being able to do that means
181
516000
4000
擁有這樣的能力代表
08:55
that I can generate energy
182
520000
3000
我能在任何地方
08:58
cleanly, efficiently and cheaply
183
523000
3000
乾淨的、有效的、便宜的
09:01
right where I am.
184
526000
2000
發電
09:03
It's my energy.
185
528000
3000
這是我的能源
09:06
And if I don't need it, I can convert it
186
531000
2000
如果我不需要它，我可以將它
09:08
back up on the window
187
533000
2000
放回窗上，並轉變成
09:10
to energy, light, and beam it,
188
535000
2000
電與光，甚至傳送它
09:12
line of site, to your place.
189
537000
3000
到你所見之處、到你的地方
09:15
And for that I do not need
190
540000
3000
傳送電力時我們之間
09:18
an electric grid between us.
191
543000
3000
是不需要有電纜的
09:21
The grid of tomorrow is no grid,
192
546000
4000
以後就不會有電纜了
09:25
and energy, clean efficient energy,
193
550000
4000
而乾淨又有效能的能源
09:29
will one day be free.
194
554000
3000
電將會是免費的
09:36
If you do this, you get the last puzzle piece,
195
561000
4000
如果你做到了，那我們就只剩一個問題
09:40
which is water.
196
565000
3000
水
09:46
Each of us, every day,
197
571000
5000
我們每天
09:51
need just eight glasses of this,
198
576000
5000
需要8杯的水
09:56
because we're human.
199
581000
3000
因為我們是人類
09:59
When we run out of water,
200
584000
2000
當我們沒有水的時候
10:01
as we are in some parts of the world
201
586000
2000
世界上有些地方是沒有水的
10:03
and soon to be in other parts of the world,
202
588000
2000
而世界上其它地方也將面臨這樣的問題
10:05
we're going to have to get this from the sea,
203
590000
3000
我們將必須從海中取水
10:08
and that's going to require us to build desalination plants.
204
593000
3000
屆時，我們將必須建造海水淡化廠
10:11
19 trillion dollars is what we're going to have to spend.
205
596000
3000
到時我們需要花費19兆美元
10:14
These also require tremendous amounts of energy.
206
599000
2000
這些淡化廠也需要用到非常大量的能源
10:16
In fact, it's going to require twice the world's
207
601000
2000
事實上，我門需要目前石油蘊藏量的兩倍
10:18
supply of oil to run the pumps
208
603000
2000
才能讓這些幫浦運轉
10:20
to generate the water.
209
605000
3000
來淨化水
10:23
We're simply not going to do that.
210
608000
2000
而我們不需要這麼做
10:25
But in a world where energy is freed
211
610000
2000
當世界上的能源是免費的
10:27
and transmittable
212
612000
2000
且能便宜又簡單的
10:29
easily and cheaply, we can take any water
213
614000
2000
傳送時，我們在任何地方都能
10:31
wherever we are
214
616000
2000
將水
10:33
and turn it into whatever we need.
215
618000
4000
轉變成我們所需的任何東西
10:37
I'm glad to be working with
216
622000
2000
我很高興能夠與
10:39
incredibly brilliant and kind scientists,
217
624000
2000
這些聰明又親切的科學家共事
10:41
no kinder than
218
626000
2000
雖然還不是
10:43
many of the people in the world,
219
628000
2000
世界上最親切的人
10:45
but they have a magic look at the world.
220
630000
3000
但他們用獨到的眼光來看這個世界
10:48
And I'm glad to see their discoveries
221
633000
2000
我很高興能夠看到他們的研究
10:50
coming out of the lab and into the world.
222
635000
3000
能夠走出實驗室並進到這個世界
10:53
It's been a long time in coming for me.
223
638000
4000
這對我來說是一段非常漫長的等待
10:57
18 years ago,
224
642000
3000
十八年前
11:00
I saw a photograph in the paper.
225
645000
4000
我在報紙上看到一張照片。
11:04
It was taken by Kevin Carter
226
649000
2000
那是凱文･卡特
11:06
who went to the Sudan
227
651000
2000
在蘇丹進行
11:08
to document their famine there.
228
653000
2000
當地飢荒紀實時所拍攝下來的。
11:10
I've carried this photograph with me
229
655000
2000
從那時起我每天都
11:12
every day since then.
230
657000
2000
把這張照片帶在身上。
11:17
It's a picture of a little girl dying of thirst.
231
662000
5000
照片裡是一個因乾荒而瀕臨死亡的小女孩。
11:27
By any standard this is wrong.
232
672000
5000
不管用什麼標準來看這都不對
11:32
It's just wrong.
233
677000
3000
這種事是不該發生的。
11:38
We can do better than this.
234
683000
3000
我們可以做得更好
11:41
We should do better than this.
235
686000
3000
我們應該要做得更好
11:44
And whenever I go round
236
689000
2000
不論我去到哪裡
11:46
to somebody who says,
237
691000
2000
都會有人對我說：
11:48
"You know what, you're working on something that's too difficult.
238
693000
2000
「你研究的東西太困難了，
11:50
It'll never happen. You don't have enough money.
239
695000
3000
你不會成功的。你的資金不夠，
11:53
You don't have enough time.
240
698000
3000
你也沒有那麼多時間。
11:56
There's something much more interesting around the corner,"
241
701000
3000
還有其它更有趣的東西可以研究吧。」
11:59
I say, "Try saying that to her."
242
704000
2000
我想說：「對照片裡的小女孩說吧！」
12:01
That's what I say in my mind. And I just say
243
706000
2000
當然這些話只是在心裡想想而已。我真正說的是：
12:03
"thank you," and I go on to the next one.
244
708000
3000
「謝謝。」然後繼續我的研究。
12:06
This is why we have to solve our problems,
245
711000
3000
這就是為什麼我們需要解決我們的問題
12:09
and I know the answer as to how
246
714000
5000
而我知道答案就是
12:14
is to be able to get exquisite control
247
719000
4000
精確的掌握自然界中
12:18
over a building block of nature,
248
723000
3000
簡單的東西
12:21
the stuff of life:
249
726000
2000
生命所需的
12:23
the simple electron.
250
728000
2000
那就是電子
12:25
Thank you.
251
730000
2000
謝謝
12:27
(Applause)
252
732000
12000
(掌聲)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Justin Hall-Tipping - Science entrepreneurJustin Hall-Tipping works on nano-energy startups -- mastering the electron to create power.
Why you should listen
Some of our most serious planetary worries revolve around energy and power -- controlling it, paying for it, and the consequences of burning it. Justin Hall-Tipping had an epiphany about energy after seeing footage of a chunk of ice the size of his home state (Connecticut) falling off Antarctica into the ocean, and decided to focus on science to find new forms of energy. A longtime investor, he formed Nanoholdings to work closely with universities and labs who are studying new forms of nano-scale energy in the four sectors of the energy economy: generation, transmission, storage and conservation.
Nanotech as a field is still very young (the National Science Foundation says it's "at a level of development similar to that of computer technology in the 1950s") and nano-energy in particular holds tremendous promise.
He says: "For the first time in human history, we actually have the ability to pick up an atom and place it the way we want. Some very powerful things can happen when you can do that."
Justin Hall-Tipping | Speaker | TED.com