Energy Efficiency Could Offer Major Climate Wins 抑制全球变暖从能源效率着手

What if the world could quickly slash climate-warming emissions， without having to build so much new renewable energy capacity？

如果世界能够迅速削减导致气候变暖的排放量，而不用新建这么多再生能源产能，那会怎么样呢？

That’s exactly what some experts say needs to happen， by improving the efficiency of appliances and electricity grids through efforts like plugging leaks and stopping so-called “vampire loads” from devices that pull power from wall sockets even when switched off.

这正是一些专家提出来要做的事，通过堵漏和防止电器所谓的“吸血鬼负荷”——即便在关闭时也从墙上插座消耗电能——等措施，来提高电器与电网的效率。

By lowering the amount of power needed to perform the same tasks， the world could burn fewer fossil fuels and spend less on expanding solar or wind capacity.

通过减少做相同事情所需的电量，世界可以燃烧更少的化石燃料，并减少用于扩大太阳能或风能发电生产力的支出。

At least 118 countries at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai have backed a pledge to improve energy efficiency rates by 4% each year until 2030. That would be a doubling of the 2% improvement in efficiency rates seen in 2022.

在迪拜举行的第28届联合国气候变化大会中，至少有118个国家承诺，到2030年每年将能源效率提高4%。这是在2022年能源效率提高2%的基础上再翻一番。

HOW CAN ENERGY BECOME MORE EFFICIENT？

能源如何变得更有效率？

The International Energy Agency （IEA） has called efficiency the “first fuel” of the energy transition and one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

国际能源署（IEA）将效率称为能源转型的“第一燃料”，也是减少温室气体排放最快、最具成本效益的方法之一。

In its simplest form， energy efficiency can simply mean using appliances， technology or electronics that are designed to consume less energy， such as heat pumps or LED lighting.

能源效率以最简单的形式可以指使用能源消耗更少的电器、技术或电子产品，如热泵或LED照明。

At a larger scale， buildings can be designed with better insulation to lessen the need for air conditioning or heating. Factories or cities can improve wiring to get rid of leakages.

在更大的规模上，建筑物可以设计成具有更好的隔热性能，以减少对空调或暖气的需求。工厂或城市可以改善布线以消除泄漏。

As more industries including transport seek to power up from the electric grid， rather than through burning fossil fuels， demands on the grid will rise steeply.

随着交通运输等更多的行业寻求通过电网，而非燃烧化石燃料来供电，对电网的需求将随之急剧上升。

Government regulation can also help by， for example， requiring minimum energy performance standards in appliances， vehicles or manufacturing.

政府监管也可提供帮助，例如要求电器、车辆或制造业达到最低能源效率标准。

WHAT OFFERS THE BIGGEST ENERGY SAVINGS？

什么可以节省最多能源？

Switching to electric vehicles or heat pumps can offer significant energy savings if plugging into grids that increasingly draw on renewable power sources. Electric vehicles also waste less of their energy reserve than combustion-engine vehicles powered by gasoline. The US Department of Energy estimates that EVs currently use 77% of their battery energy for power at the wheels. Gasoline vehicles can only harness about 12% to 30% of the energy from gas in their tanks.

如果接入越来越多以再生能源发电的电网，改用电动车或热泵可显著节省能源。与燃油车相比，电动车浪费的能源储备也更少。美国能源部估计，目前电动车77%的电量用于驱动车轮。燃油车只能利用其油箱中汽油大约12%至30%的能量。

Heat pumps can be up to five times more efficient than gas boilers， the IEA says.

国际能源署表示，热泵的效率比煤气锅炉的高出五倍。

“Electric cooking is hugely more efficient than biomass cooking，” said energy researcher Nick Eyre at Oxford University.

牛津大学能源研究员尼克·艾尔表示：“用电烹饪比用生物量烹饪效率高得多。”

Word Bank

switch /swɪtʃ/ v.（使）改变，转变，突变

switch off" 关（电灯、机器等）

Please switch the lights off as you leave.

capacity /kə'pæsəti/ n. 生产量；生产能力

insulation /'ɪnsju'leɪʃn/ n. 隔热；隔音；绝缘；隔热（或隔音、绝缘）材料

harness /'hɑːnɪs/ v. 控制，利用（以产生能量等）