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Wind.
风。
It's the largest renewable energy source in the US.
它是美国应用最广泛的可再生能源。
In one month, the average wind turbine can generate enough power for more than 940 American homes.
一台风力发电机平均一个月可以产生足够940多个美国家庭使用的电力。
Here's how wind energy works, plus it's upsides and downsides.
以下是风力发电的工作原理，以及它的优势和劣势。
Wind energy is one of the few renewable, clean energy sources.
风能是为数不多的清洁可再生能源之一。
We say "renewable" because the supply of wind is basically limitless and naturally replenishable, and it's "clean" because no pollutants are released in the process.
我们之所以说风能“可再生”，是因为风能基本上是无限的，而且是自然再生的，而之所以说它是“清洁”的，因为在风力发电的过程中不会释放污染物。
While fans use electricity to make wind, wind turbines use wind to make electricity.
风扇利用电力制造风，而风力发电机则利用风能来发电。
That wind can be used directly like for grinding grain or pumping water, or indirectly through a generator, which can convert the wind's power into electricity.
风能可以直接用于碾磨谷物或抽水，也可以通过发电机被间接利用，发电机可以将风能转化为电能。
Wind turns blades around a rotor or hub, which spins a generator, which creates electricity.
风让叶片围绕转子或轮毂转动，带动发电机旋转，从而产生电力。
The electricity then travels through underground cables to a substation, which connects to an electric grid, which then connects to, say, your home.
然后，电力通过地下电缆传输到变电站，变电站连接到电网，电网再连接到你的家中。
The taller the turbine, and the wider the blades, the more wind gets captured and the more energy gets created.
发电机设置的越高，叶片越宽，捕获的风就越多，产生的能量就越多。
There are two main types of commercial wind turbines: those on land and those at sea.
商业风力发电机主要有两种类型：陆上风力发电机和海上风力发电机。
Offshore winds tend to be stronger during the day, providing energy when consumer demand is highest.
白天往往海上风力更强，在电力需求最高的时候提供能源。
Most land-based wind turbines are stronger at night when electricity demands are lower.
大多数陆上风力发电机在夜间电力需求较低时发电能力更强。
The best places to build wind farms are on the coast, the Midwest and Great Lakes area.
建设风力发电场的最佳地点是沿海、中西部和五大湖区。
That's where the highest speed winds are.
这些地方风速最大。
As of right now, almost all US wind farms are on shore.
到目前为止，美国几乎所有的风力发电场都建在陆地上。
In 94 minutes, an average wind turbine generates enough energy to power an average US home for a month.
一个普通的风力发电机94分钟产生的电力足够一个普通的美国家庭使用一个月。
One downside of the wind industry: its potential to harm wild animals, mainly birds and bats.
风能产业的一个劣势是：它有可能伤害野生动物，主要是鸟类和蝙蝠。
The impact can be direct through collisions and indirect through noise pollution and possible habitat loss.
这可能是由于碰撞产生的直接影响，也可能是由于噪音污染和可能的栖息地被侵占而产生的间接影响。
In addition to sustainability, another upside: cost.
除了可持续性，风能产业的另一个优势是：成本。
In 2021, the cost of producing a megawatt hour of electricity from a new wind turbine was $26 to $50, while the same amount of electricity from the cheapest type of natural gas plant ranged from $45 to $74.
2021年，一台新的风力发电机发电一兆瓦时的成本在26美元到50美元之间，而最便宜的天然气发电厂的发电成本在45美元到74美元之间。
Wind turbines, which accounted for more than 9% of electricity in the US in 2021, last roughly 20 to 25 years before they must be replaced.
2021年，风力发电机的发电量占美国总发电量的9%以上，其使用寿命大约为20到25年。
