作為世界工業(yè)革命的發(fā)源地,21世紀(jì)的英國并沒有這一榮譽(yù)丟臉,現(xiàn)如今,不論是在任何一個(gè)科技領(lǐng)域,英國都走在世界各國的前端,隨著科技的發(fā)展,泰晤士河畔也失去了往日的寧靜,取而代之的是喧囂的現(xiàn)代化建筑。而2014年將倫敦黑衣修士橋Blackfriars Bridge成功改造為世界最大的太陽能橋,英國再次向世界展示了他的科技力量。黑衣修士橋主要用于火車運(yùn)行,同時(shí)也可供行人和汽車使用,鐵路橋和公路橋平行延伸,互不影響。此次改造共安裝了4,400塊太陽能光板、總面積6,000平方米,每年可以減少511噸二氧化碳排放量,相當(dāng)于89,000輛汽車排出的尾氣。“這座大橋不但具有巨大的工業(yè)意義,同時(shí)它的生態(tài)意義才是更加引人矚目的地方,根據(jù)我們慣常的思維,工業(yè)的發(fā)展一定會(huì)以生態(tài)環(huán)境的犧牲作為代價(jià),但是在黑衣修士橋上,我看到了工業(yè)與自然的完美結(jié)合,毫無疑問,這座橋?yàn)槭澜玳_創(chuàng)了一個(gè)里程碑式的新時(shí)代,從此以后,包括圣保羅大教堂在內(nèi),泰晤士沿岸的標(biāo)志性建筑都會(huì)以一種全新的形象出現(xiàn)在世人眼前。”
灰色天空下的世界最大太陽能橋Gray skies are no match for the world’s largest solar bridge
By Meera Senthilingam, for CNN.Updated 1501 GMT (2201 HKT) September 24, 2014
要點(diǎn)Story highlights
倫敦黑衣修士大橋是世界上最大的太陽能橋。Blackfriars bridge in the City of London is the world’s largest solar-powered bridge.
超過4400塊光伏電池,屋頂面積6000平方米。Over 4,400 photovoltaic cells occupy a roof area of 6000 square meters.
在橋上為黑衣修士站提供50%清潔能源。Clean energy provides 50 percent of the requirements of Blackfriars railway station, located on the bridge.
每年減少511噸碳排放量。The array is estimated to reduce carbon emissions by 511 tonnes per year.
建于1886年的老維多利亞橋橫跨泰晤士河,與其他城市橋梁不同,它還是一個(gè)服務(wù)所有周邊地區(qū)乘客的火車站,同時(shí)是一個(gè)絕美的觀景點(diǎn)。The old Victorian bridge was built across the river Thames in 1886, but unlike other bridges throughout the city, it also operates as a railway station to serve commuters from all the surrounding areas, while offering a stunning view.
作為跨越泰晤士河的始發(fā)站,該橋上能源消耗壓力一直很大。Being the first station to span the river Thames, the bridge has always had high demands on power.
2009年改頭換面:拆除橋面鐵藝,重建自用的太陽能發(fā)電系統(tǒng)。In 2009 it received a makeover: the wrought-iron bridge was dismantled and rebuilt to generate its own power using the sun.
新屋頂安裝了太陽能電池板,面積超過6000平方米,這足以覆蓋23個(gè)網(wǎng)球場。在晴朗的日子,可以產(chǎn)生高達(dá)1兆瓦的電力。A new roof was installed, housing solar panels over 6000 square meters, which is enough to cover 23 tennis courts. On a sunny day, the canopy can produce up to a megawatt of electricity.
該橋在2012日重新開放,其中光伏電池屋頂是整個(gè)升級(jí)項(xiàng)目(涉及整個(gè)車站,以滿足更多乘客,提供更好服務(wù))的一部分。The bridge reopened in 2012 and the installation of the array was part of a larger upgrading project involving the station as a whole to cater for more passengers and improve services.
“它產(chǎn)生的電力足夠每天燒開80000杯茶,”工程負(fù)責(zé)人克里斯賓斯解釋。"It generates enough electricity to make about 80,000 cups of tea a day," explains Chris Binns, head of engineering at Network Rail who led the upgrade.
使用太陽能為黑衣修士站提供了50%以上清潔能源,每年減少511噸碳排放量。The use of solar power now provides up to 50 percent of the energy needed at the station and is estimated to reduce carbon emissions by 511 tonnes per year.
全球太陽能電池板產(chǎn)量增加,特別是中國,帶來了太陽能電池價(jià)格暴跌,使得這樣的設(shè)計(jì)更經(jīng)濟(jì)實(shí)惠。The increased production of solar panels worldwide, particularly in China, has brought the previously high expense of solar cells plummeting down to make designs like this more affordable.
“這是一個(gè)很好案例,展示了英國人有能力建成世界上偉大的工程,”帝國理工學(xué)院太陽能專家Ned Ekins-Daukes教授說,”這是世界上最大的太陽能橋梁,而且建造在英國,而不是一個(gè)眾所周知的陽光國度。”//"It’s a wonderful showcase of how Britain can actually build something that’s significant," says Professor Ned Ekins-Daukes, an expert on solar energy at Imperial College London. "This is the most powerful bridge in the world and it’s using solar power in Britain, not a country well known for its sunshine."
世界各地越來越多的城市利用太陽的能源,甚至埃菲爾鐵塔和泰姬陵等地標(biāo)建筑都規(guī)劃安裝太陽能電池板。Cities across the world are increasingly harnessing the sun’s energy, with landmarks as iconic as the Eiffel tower and Taj Mahal planning to incorporate solar panels into their architecture.
如果在倫敦那灰色天空下都能取得良好效果,試想世界其他地方會(huì)怎么樣?!If the gray skies of London can accomplish such results across the Thames, imagine the potential elsewhere.
1869年建成的黑衣修士橋?yàn)槲蹇坠皹颍L281米、寬32米,橫跨泰晤士河,穿過倫敦的心臟地帶,由維多利亞女王下令施工,建設(shè)工程歷時(shí)9年,當(dāng)時(shí)它還不叫黑衣修士,而是按照當(dāng)時(shí)的英國首相的名字,即威廉·皮特William Pit命名的,直到后來才被改名為黑衣修士。黑衣修士這個(gè)名字的靈感來自多米尼加修道院Orden Dominica的修士形象,這家修道院是由時(shí)任西班牙國王多福朗明哥·費(fèi)力克斯·德·古斯曼Domingo Félix de Guzmán于1278年下令建立的,后來于1538年被拆毀。值得一提的是,黑衣修士橋有一段神秘的歷史,1982年,曾經(jīng)有一位意大利銀行家被吊在黑衣修士橋上,這名銀行家名叫羅伯特·卡爾維Roberto Calvi,他被人發(fā)現(xiàn)時(shí)已經(jīng)死亡,死亡原因至今不明,一時(shí)間眾說紛紜,自殺、謀殺、黑手黨戰(zhàn)爭等各種言論和猜想被提上桌面,還造成了一段時(shí)間的恐慌,至于當(dāng)時(shí)到底發(fā)生了什么,估計(jì)只有這位“沉默的黑衣修士”才知道了。現(xiàn)在的黑衣修士鐵路橋是新建的。舊橋因載重不足拆除,但仍留下一根根的橘紅色舊橋墩。後面是火車站一景。