TED2012
Donald Sadoway: The missing link to renewable energy
多納德‧沙多威：可再生能源發展的關鍵
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要使得太陽能發電、風力發電這些替代能源成為主流，最大的關鍵在於如何儲存電力。如果有方法儲電，即使沒有陽光，風不吹，我們還是有電可用。沙多威教授在黑板上，以淺顯易懂又啓發人心的方式，解說儲存可再生能源的大型電池未來的發展。如他所言：「我們要用不同的角度來看問題，就是規模要大，價錢要便宜。」
Donald Sadoway - Materials engineer
Donald Sadoway is working on a battery miracle -- an inexpensive, incredibly efficient, three-layered battery using “liquid metal." Full bio
Donald Sadoway is working on a battery miracle -- an inexpensive, incredibly efficient, three-layered battery using “liquid metal." Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:15
The electricity powering the lights in this theater
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點亮這個劇院有燈光所需的電力
00:18
was generated just moments ago.
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剛剛才從發電廠產生
00:21
Because the way things stand today,
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依目前電力使用的狀況
00:24
electricity demand must be in constant balance
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電力需求必須與電力供應
00:27
with electricity supply.
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持續取得平衡
00:30
If in the time that it took me to walk out here on this stage,
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如果在我走上台的這段時間
00:33
some tens of megawatts of wind power
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數百兆瓦的風力發電
00:36
stopped pouring into the grid,
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停止輸送給輸電網路的話
00:39
the difference would have to be made up
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這個不足
00:41
from other generators immediately.
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該由其他的發電機立刻補上
00:45
But coal plants, nuclear plants
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但是火力發電廠 核能發電廠
00:48
can't respond fast enough.
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都不能立即增產做出反應
00:50
A giant battery could.
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巨大的電池卻可以
00:52
With a giant battery,
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用巨大的電池儲能
00:54
we'd be able to address the problem of intermittency
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可以讓我們解決風力及太陽能發電
00:57
that prevents wind and solar
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這種間歇性發電法
00:59
from contributing to the grid
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所產生的供電波動的問題
01:01
in the same way that coal, gas and nuclear do today.
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進而達到跟火力 天然氣 及核能一樣可以持續供電
01:05
You see, the battery
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你看 電池
01:07
is the key enabling device here.
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在這裡是個關鍵
01:10
With it, we could draw electricity from the sun
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使用電池儲能 即使沒有太陽光
01:13
even when the sun doesn't shine.
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我們仍可使用太陽能所產生的電力
01:15
And that changes everything.
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而這將改變一切
01:18
Because then renewables
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因為這麼做 使得可再生能源
01:20
such as wind and solar
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像是風力及太陽能
01:22
come out from the wings,
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不再是配角
01:24
here to center stage.
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而成為主流
01:26
Today I want to tell you about such a device.
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今天我要介紹一種新裝置
01:29
It's called the liquid metal battery.
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叫做液態金屬電池
01:31
It's a new form of energy storage
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這種新型態的能源儲存技術
01:33
that I invented at MIT
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是我及我在麻省理工學院的
01:36
along with a team of my students
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學生和博士後研究團隊
01:38
and post-docs.
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發明的
01:40
Now the theme of this year's TED Conference is Full Spectrum.
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今年的TED研討會的主題為全光譜
01:43
The OED defines spectrum
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牛津英語詞典對光譜一詞的定義是
01:46
as "The entire range of wavelengths
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所有波長範圍的
01:49
of electromagnetic radiation,
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電磁波
01:51
from the longest radio waves to the shortest gamma rays
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涵蓋從波長最長的無線電波到最短的伽瑪射線
01:54
of which the range of visible light
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而可見光
01:57
is only a small part."
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只是其中的一小部分
01:59
So I'm not here today only to tell you
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所以今天我在這裡 不僅要告訴你們
02:01
how my team at MIT has drawn out of nature
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我在麻省理工的團隊
02:04
a solution to one of the world's great problems.
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如何解決這個世界最大的問題
02:07
I want to go full spectrum and tell you how,
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我還要全方位解說
02:10
in the process of developing
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發展此項新科技
02:12
this new technology,
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的過程
02:14
we've uncovered some surprising heterodoxies
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我們發現了幾件令人驚訝的事實
02:17
that can serve as lessons for innovation,
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與一般認知相異 可以為發明家的鑑鏡
02:20
ideas worth spreading.
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的確是值得傳播的好點子（TED標語）
02:23
And you know,
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眾所皆知
02:25
if we're going to get this country out of its current energy situation,
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如果我們要解決這個國家所面對的能源問題
02:29
we can't just conserve our way out;
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我們不能只靠節約能源
02:32
we can't just drill our way out;
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我們不能只靠鑽探能源
02:35
we can't bomb our way out.
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我們也不能只靠開採能源
02:37
We're going to do it the old-fashioned American way,
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我們要用傳統的美國作法
02:39
we're going to invent our way out,
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我們要攜手合作
02:41
working together.
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發明能源
02:43
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
02:46
Now let's get started.
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言歸正傳
02:48
The battery was invented about 200 years ago
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電池是在約200年前
02:51
by a professor, Alessandro Volta,
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由亞力山卓伏特教授所發明
02:53
at the University of Padua in Italy.
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他當時在義大利帕度亞大學任教
02:56
His invention gave birth to a new field of science,
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他的發明孕育了一門新的科學
02:58
electrochemistry,
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即電化學
03:00
and new technologies
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以及像電鍍這樣的
03:02
such as electroplating.
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新科技
03:04
Perhaps overlooked,
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綜觀歷史
03:06
Volta's invention of the battery
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伏特發明電池這件事
03:08
for the first time also
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也許也是第一次證明了
03:10
demonstrated the utility of a professor.
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教授的用處
03:12
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
03:14
Until Volta, nobody could imagine
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在伏特發明電池以前
03:16
a professor could be of any use.
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沒有人知道到底教授有什麼用處
03:19
Here's the first battery --
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這個世上最早的電池
03:22
a stack of coins, zinc and silver,
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用銅板 鋅板 及銀堆疊而成
03:25
separated by cardboard soaked in brine.
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其中夾著浸鹽水的紙板
03:27
This is the starting point
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這是電池設計的
03:29
for designing a battery --
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起始點
03:31
two electrodes,
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兩端電極
03:33
in this case metals of different composition,
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在這裡是兩種不同的金屬
03:35
and an electrolyte,
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以及電解質
03:37
in this case salt dissolved in water.
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在這裡是鹽水
03:39
The science is that simple.
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科學原理就是這麼簡單
03:41
Admittedly, I've left out a few details.
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我承認我省略了一些細節
03:45
Now I've taught you
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我之前已經說了
03:47
that battery science is straightforward
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電池的科學原理其實很簡單明瞭
03:49
and the need for grid-level storage
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而我們對電網層級的大型儲電系統
03:51
is compelling,
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需求很大
03:53
but the fact is
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但事實是
03:55
that today there is simply no battery technology
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現今沒有任何電池科技
03:58
capable of meeting
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能達到
04:00
the demanding performance requirements of the grid --
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電網所需的儲能負載條件
04:04
namely uncommonly high power,
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就是要能負載非常高的電力
04:06
long service lifetime
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要有很長的使用壽命
04:08
and super-low cost.
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及極低的成本
04:10
We need to think about the problem differently.
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所以我們要用不同的角度看問題
04:13
We need to think big,
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就是規模要大
04:15
we need to think cheap.
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價錢要便宜
04:17
So let's abandon the paradigm
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所以就讓我們捨棄
04:19
of let's search for the coolest chemistry
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先找出最酷的化學方程式
04:22
and then hopefully we'll chase down the cost curve
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然後希望以大量生產的方法
04:24
by just making lots and lots of product.
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來降低成本這種思維
04:27
Instead, let's invent
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反之 讓我們發明
04:29
to the price point of the electricity market.
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以現有電價就能負擔的材料
04:32
So that means
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但如此一來
04:34
that certain parts of the periodic table
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週期表裡的某些元素
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are axiomatically off-limits.
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就理當排除在外了
04:38
This battery needs to be made
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這個電池需要
04:40
out of earth-abundant elements.
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用藴藏豐富的元素來製造
04:42
I say, if you want to make something dirt cheap,
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我是說 如果你要製作像土一樣便宜的東西
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make it out of dirt --
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就用土來做吧
04:47
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
04:49
preferably dirt
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最好是找
04:51
that's locally sourced.
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當地出產的土（美國人對有機農業的笑話）
04:54
And we need to be able to build this thing
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而且還要用最簡單的科技
04:57
using simple manufacturing techniques and factories
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及最簡單的工廠來製造這個東西
05:00
that don't cost us a fortune.
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不要花很多錢
05:04
So about six years ago,
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所以大約六年前
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I started thinking about this problem.
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我開始思索這個問題
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And in order to adopt a fresh perspective,
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為了要得到新的觀點
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I sought inspiration from beyond the field of electricity storage.
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我從蓄電學以外的地方尋求靈感
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In fact, I looked to a technology
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事實上我從一個跟蓄電或發電
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that neither stores nor generates electricity,
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一點都沒關聯的科技來看這件事
05:21
but instead consumes electricity,
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這個科技反而還消耗
05:23
huge amounts of it.
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大量電力
05:25
I'm talking about the production of aluminum.
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我指的是煉鋁工業
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The process was invented in 1886
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煉鋁法是在1886年
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by a couple of 22-year-olds --
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由兩位22歲的人
05:33
Hall in the United States and Heroult in France.
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美國的霍爾及法國的赫魯特所發明
05:36
And just a few short years following their discovery,
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之後短短幾年
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aluminum changed
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鋁就從
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from a precious metal costing as much as silver
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跟銀一樣貴的貴金屬
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to a common structural material.
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變成再普通不過的結構材料
05:47
You're looking at the cell house of a modern aluminum smelter.
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你現在看到的是一座現代煉鋁廠的電解車間
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It's about 50 feet wide
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約50呎寬
05:52
and recedes about half a mile --
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延伸約半哩遠
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row after row of cells
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一排又一排的電解槽
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that, inside, resemble Volta's battery,
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裡面的結構就像伏特的電池
06:00
with three important differences.
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但又有三個重要的不同點
06:02
Volta's battery works at room temperature.
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伏特的電池在室溫下運作
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It's fitted with solid electrodes
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使用固體電極棒
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and an electrolyte that's a solution of salt and water.
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電解質為鹽及水組成的水溶液
06:11
The Hall-Heroult cell
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而霍爾--赫魯特電解槽
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operates at high temperature,
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在高溫下運作
06:15
a temperature high enough
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這個溫度高到
06:17
that the aluminum metal product is liquid.
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可以讓鋁金屬變成液態
06:19
The electrolyte
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而電解質
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is not a solution of salt and water,
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不是由水及鹽組成的水溶液
06:23
but rather salt that's melted.
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而是熔化的鹽
06:25
It's this combination of liquid metal,
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這種由液態金屬
06:27
molten salt and high temperature
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熔鹽及高溫的組合
06:30
that allows us to send high current through this thing.
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可以讓高電流通過這個電解槽
06:34
Today, we can produce virgin metal from ore
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今天我們可以從礦砂直接生產鋁金屬
06:37
at a cost of less than 50 cents a pound.
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每磅成本低於50分美元（約15元台幣）
06:40
That's the economic miracle
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這就是現代電氣冶金術
06:42
of modern electrometallurgy.
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創造的經濟奇蹟
06:44
It is this that caught and held my attention
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也就是這項製程吸引了我的注意
06:47
to the point that I became obsessed with inventing a battery
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到了著迷的地步 我一心一意要發明
06:51
that could capture this gigantic economy of scale.
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這種具強大經濟效益的電池
06:55
And I did.
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而我的確做到了
06:57
I made the battery all liquid --
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我製造了全液態電池
07:00
liquid metals for both electrodes
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兩端電極均為液態金屬
07:02
and a molten salt for the electrolyte.
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使用熔鹽作電解質
07:04
I'll show you how.
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現在就來看看過程
07:24
So I put low-density
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我把低密度
07:27
liquid metal at the top,
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液態金屬放在上端
07:31
put a high-density liquid metal at the bottom,
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高密度的液態金屬放在底端
07:37
and molten salt in between.
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兩者之間放熔鹽
07:43
So now,
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問題來了
07:45
how to choose the metals?
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要怎麼選金屬
07:48
For me, the design exercise
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對我而言 設計這門功課
07:50
always begins here
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永遠從這裡開始
07:52
with the periodic table,
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就是拿出這張
07:54
enunciated by another professor,
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由另一位有用的教授
07:56
Dimitri Mendeleyev.
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門德列夫所發表的週期表
07:58
Everything we know
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這世上的一切
08:00
is made of some combination
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都由週期表上的元素
08:02
of what you see depicted here.
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以不同的組態組合
08:05
And that includes our own bodies.
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我們的身體也是如此
08:07
I recall the very moment one day
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我還記得那天
08:10
when I was searching for a pair of metals
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我在找一對金屬
08:13
that would meet the constraints
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一對合乎
08:15
of earth abundance,
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藴藏量大
08:17
different, opposite density
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密度相反
08:20
and high mutual reactivity.
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相互反應性高的條件
08:22
I felt the thrill of realization
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當我知道我快要找到答案時
08:24
when I knew I'd come upon the answer.
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我有一種恍然大悟的驚喜
08:29
Magnesium for the top layer.
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鎂在頂層
08:32
And antimony
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而銻
08:34
for the bottom layer.
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放在底層
08:37
You know, I've got to tell you,
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你知道嗎 我一定要告訴你
08:39
one of the greatest benefits of being a professor:
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作教授的好處之一就是
08:42
colored chalk.
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你可以用彩色粉筆
08:44
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
08:47
So to produce current,
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為了製造電流
08:50
magnesium loses two electrons
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鎂失去兩個電子
08:52
to become magnesium ion,
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成為鎂離子
08:55
which then migrates across the electrolyte,
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移動通過電解質
08:57
accepts two electrons from the antimony,
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從銻那一端接受兩個電子
09:00
and then mixes with it to form an alloy.
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然後與銻形成合金
09:03
The electrons go to work
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電子是真正
09:05
in the real world out here,
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產生電流的物質
09:08
powering our devices.
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使我們的儀器有電
09:14
Now to charge the battery,
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現在要使電池充電
09:17
we connect a source of electricity.
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我們把電池接上電源
09:20
It could be something like a wind farm.
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電源可以是風力發電廠
09:24
And then we reverse the current.
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然後我們讓反應倒過來
09:28
And this forces magnesium to de-alloy
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這使得鎂離開合金
09:33
and return to the upper electrode,
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回到上端的電極
09:36
restoring the initial constitution of the battery.
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使電池回到原來的組態
09:41
And the current passing between the electrodes
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電流穿越兩極之間
09:44
generates enough heat to keep it at temperature.
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產生足夠的熱能以維持溫度
09:47
It's pretty cool,
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很酷吧
09:50
at least in theory.
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至少理論上聽起來是如此
09:52
But does it really work?
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但是要怎麼實際運作呢
09:54
So what to do next?
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所以接下來該做什麼
09:56
We go to the laboratory.
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我們去作實驗
09:58
Now do I hire seasoned professionals?
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我聘請了資深的研究人員嗎
10:02
No, I hire a student
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沒有 我找了一個學生
10:05
and mentor him,
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而且親自指導他
10:07
teach him how to think about the problem,
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教他如何從我的觀點
10:10
to see it from my perspective
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來看這個問題
10:12
and then turn him loose.
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然後就放牛吃草
10:14
This is that student, David Bradwell,
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這就是那位學生 大衛布萊德威
10:16
who, in this image,
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他在這張相片裡
10:18
appears to be wondering if this thing will ever work.
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看起來不太相信這個東西能成功
10:21
What I didn't tell David at the time
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我那時沒有告訴大衛
10:23
was I myself wasn't convinced it would work.
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就是我自己也不太相信這能成功
10:26
But David's young and he's smart
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但是大衛年青有為
10:28
and he wants a Ph.D.,
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而且他想拿博士
10:30
and he proceeds to build --
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他開始
10:32
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
10:34
He proceeds to build
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他開始製作
10:36
the first ever liquid metal battery
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第一個用這個化學理論為基礎
10:38
of this chemistry.
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所創造的液態金屬電池
10:40
And based on David's initial promising results,
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大衛的結果看起來前景大有可為
10:43
which were paid
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本來這項實驗的原始經費
10:45
with seed funds at MIT,
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是由麻省理工的種子創投基金所支付
10:48
I was able to attract major research funding
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我因此可以藉著這個結果吸引更多的
10:51
from the private sector
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私人企業及聯邦政府
10:53
and the federal government.
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來投資這項計劃
10:55
And that allowed me to expand my group to 20 people,
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這也讓我能擴充研究團隊至20人
10:58
a mix of graduate students, post-docs
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包括研究生 博士後研究
11:00
and even some undergraduates.
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甚至還有一些大學生
11:02
And I was able to attract really, really good people,
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我可以吸引到很棒很棒的人
11:05
people who share my passion
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這些人跟我一樣
11:07
for science and service to society,
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對科學及對服務大眾充滿熱情
11:09
not science and service for career building.
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這些人唸科學不是為了發展自己的事業
11:13
And if you ask these people
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如果你問這些人
11:15
why they work on liquid metal battery,
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為什麼要研究液態金屬電池
11:17
their answer would hearken back
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他們會借用
11:19
to President Kennedy's remarks
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甘乃迪總統在1962年
11:21
at Rice University in 1962
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對萊斯大學的演講來回答
11:24
when he said -- and I'm taking liberties here --
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甘乃迪說 容我篡改一下
11:26
"We choose to work on grid-level storage,
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我們選擇做這項電網級大型儲電計畫
11:28
not because it is easy,
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不是因為它很簡單
11:30
but because it is hard."
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而是因為它很艱難
11:32
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
11:39
So this is the evolution of the liquid metal battery.
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以下是液態金屬電池的演進過程
11:42
We start here with our workhorse one watt-hour cell.
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我們從這個一瓦時的電池開始
11:45
I called it the shotglass.
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我稱它為小酒杯
11:47
We've operated over 400 of these,
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我們把400個小酒杯放在一起運轉
11:50
perfecting their performance with a plurality of chemistries --
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充分利用化學的多元化來找最好的反應組合
11:53
not just magnesium and antimony.
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而不是只限於使用鎂及銻
11:55
Along the way we scaled up to the 20 watt-hour cell.
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然後我們造了一個20瓦時的電池
11:58
I call it the hockey puck.
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我稱之為冰上曲棍球
12:00
And we got the same remarkable results.
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我們得到的結果一樣驚人
12:02
And then it was onto the saucer.
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然後是這個茶盤
12:04
That's 200 watt-hours.
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200瓦時的電力
12:06
The technology was proving itself
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這個科技本身證明了
12:08
to be robust and scalable.
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這個電池堅固耐用及可擴展性
12:11
But the pace wasn't fast enough for us.
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但是我們對發展的速度不滿意
12:13
So a year and a half ago,
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所以一年半前
12:15
David and I,
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大衛和我
12:17
along with another research staff-member,
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以及其他研究人員
12:19
formed a company
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成立了一間公司
12:21
to accelerate the rate of progress
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來加速製造過程
12:23
and the race to manufacture product.
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加速產品商業化
12:25
So today at LMBC,
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所以現在液態金屬電池公司
12:27
we're building cells 16 inches in diameter
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製造直徑16英寸大
12:29
with a capacity of one kilowatt-hour --
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儲電容量一千瓦時的電池
12:31
1,000 times the capacity
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是那個原始小酒杯
12:34
of that initial shotglass cell.
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的一千倍
12:36
We call that the pizza.
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我們叫它比薩
12:38
And then we've got a four kilowatt-hour cell on the horizon.
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現在四千瓦時的電池快要造好了
12:41
It's going to be 36 inches in diameter.
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它的直徑將達36吋
12:43
We call that the bistro table,
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我們說它是個小餐桌
12:45
but it's not ready yet for prime-time viewing.
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不過這還不能端上檯面來看
12:47
And one variant of the technology
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這項科技的變化之一
12:49
has us stacking these bistro tabletops into modules,
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是把這些小餐桌堆成模組
12:53
aggregating the modules into a giant battery
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然後將這些模組聚合成一個巨大的電池
12:56
that fits in a 40-foot shipping container
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可以塞在一個40呎的貨櫃裡
12:58
for placement in the field.
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運到發電廠
13:00
And this has a nameplate capacity of two megawatt-hours --
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這個大電池的儲電容量為二兆瓦小時
13:03
two million watt-hours.
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也就是兩百萬瓦時
13:05
That's enough energy
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這樣的電力
13:07
to meet the daily electrical needs
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足以維持200個美國家庭
13:09
of 200 American households.
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每日所需
13:11
So here you have it, grid-level storage:
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所以我們有了電網級大型儲電系統
13:14
silent, emissions-free,
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安靜 零排汙
13:17
no moving parts,
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沒有會動的機件
13:19
remotely controlled,
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還可以遙控
13:21
designed to the market price point
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以目前的電價就可使之運轉
13:24
without subsidy.
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不需政府補助
13:27
So what have we learned from all this?
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所以我們從中學到甚麼？
13:29
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
13:35
So what have we learned from all this?
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所以我們從中學到甚麼？
13:37
Let me share with you
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讓我與在座各位分享
13:39
some of the surprises, the heterodoxies.
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一些意外發現 與公認事實大庭相逕
13:42
They lie beyond the visible.
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這些事實並不是那麼顯而易見
13:44
Temperature:
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在溫度方面
13:46
Conventional wisdom says set it low,
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一般都認為反應要設在低溫
13:48
at or near room temperature,
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最好是在室溫下
13:50
and then install a control system to keep it there.
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然後要架一個系統來控溫
13:53
Avoid thermal runaway.
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不要讓溫度失控
13:55
Liquid metal battery is designed to operate at elevated temperature
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但是液態金屬電池是設計在高溫下運作
13:58
with minimum regulation.
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沒有甚麼溫度限制條件
14:01
Our battery can handle the very high temperature rises
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這個電池可以忍受因突波電流
14:04
that come from current surges.
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所產生的急劇增溫現象
14:08
Scaling: Conventional wisdom says
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在規模方面 一般都認為
14:11
reduce cost by producing many.
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要大量生產來減低成品
14:13
Liquid metal battery is designed to reduce cost
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但液態金屬電池減低成本的方法
14:16
by producing fewer, but they'll be larger.
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是少量生產但產品本身很大
14:19
And finally, human resources:
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最後在人力資源方面
14:21
Conventional wisdom says
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大家都說
14:23
hire battery experts,
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你要聘請電池專家
14:25
seasoned professionals,
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資深的教授來參與
14:27
who can draw upon their vast experience and knowledge.
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所以你可以借鑒他們豐富的經驗和知識
14:30
To develop liquid metal battery,
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但在發展液態金屬電池這個計劃上
14:32
I hired students and post-docs and mentored them.
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我找了學生及博士後研究員 還親自指導他們
14:35
In a battery,
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在製作電池時
14:37
I strive to maximize electrical potential;
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我絞盡腦汁讓電池的電力發展到極致
14:40
when mentoring,
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在指導學生時
14:42
I strive to maximize human potential.
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我則絞盡腦汁讓他們的潛力發展到極致
14:44
So you see,
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所以你看
14:46
the liquid metal battery story
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發展液態金屬電池這件事
14:48
is more than an account
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不是只有
14:50
of inventing technology,
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發明新科技而已
14:52
it's a blueprint
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這還是個藍圖
14:54
for inventing inventors, full-spectrum.
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讓我們全方位培養發明家
14:57
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Donald Sadoway - Materials engineerDonald Sadoway is working on a battery miracle -- an inexpensive, incredibly efficient, three-layered battery using “liquid metal."
Why you should listen
The problem at the heart of many sustainable-energy systems: How to store power so it can be delivered to the grid all the time, day and night, even when the wind's not blowing and the sun's not shining? At MIT, Donald Sadoway has been working on a grid-size battery system that stores energy using a three-layer liquid-metal core. With help from fans like Bill Gates, Sadoway and two of his students have spun off the Liquid Metals Battery Corporation (LMBC) to bring the battery to market.
Donald Sadoway | Speaker | TED.com