為應對氣候變化，保護環境，許多國家確立了到本世紀中葉實現凈零碳排放的目標。氫在今年成為首選的未來綠色燃料，而使用可再生能源對水進行電解來提取的“綠氫”更是受到人們的關注。

　　Aerial photo taken on Aug 19, 2020 shows wind turbines in Jiucaiping scenic spot in Southwest China's Guizhou province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Hydrogen has taken off this year as the future green fuel of choice, with governments and businesses betting big that the universe’s most abundant element can help fight climate change.

氫在今年成為首選的未來綠色燃料，各國政府和企業都斷定這種宇宙中最豐富的元素可以幫助應對氣候變化。

bet big：押下重注

More than $150 billion worth of green hydrogen projects have been announced globally in the past nine months. In total, more than 70 gigawatts of such projects are in development, which could require $250 billion worth of investment by 2040, research firm Rystad Energy estimates.

過去9個月里，全球宣布了總額超過1500億美元（約合人民幣9830億元）的綠氫項目。據挪威呂斯塔德能源公司估計，總共有超過70吉瓦的此類項目正在開發之中，到2040年可能會需要2500億美元的投資。

China, Japan and South Korea recently joined a slew of European countries setting net zero targets for carbon emissions by the middle of the century.

中國、日本和韓國最近和許多歐洲國家一樣確立了到本世紀中葉實現凈零碳排放的目標。

While most developed countries along with China and India plan to boost renewable power output, the net zero emissions targets are driving a push to find ways to decarbonise industries that cannot be electrified and depend on fossil fuels.

時值大多數發達國家以及中國和印度都計劃提高可再生能源產量之際，凈零排放目標正推動各國設法使無法電氣化而依賴礦物燃料的行業脫碳。

The main targets are those sectors that use coal, oil and gas as raw materials, such as in steel-making, cement and fertilisers, and in shipping and aviation.

這主要針對那些以煤炭、石油和天然氣為原材料的行業，例如煉鋼、水泥和化肥以及航運和航空行業。

To meet that expected demand, powerhouse oil and gas exporters from Saudi Arabia to Australia have set out policies to develop production and export of green hydrogen.

為了滿足這一預期中的需求，沙特阿拉伯和澳大利亞等各大石油和天然氣出口國已經制定了發展綠氫生產和出口的政策。

Hydrogen, long used as rocket fuel, is mainly used in oil refining and to produce ammonia for fertilisers. Today it is mostly extracted from natural gas or coal, called grey hydrogen, in processes that emit 830 million tonnes a year of carbon dioxide, according to the International Energy Agency.

長期用作火箭燃料的氫主要用于煉油和生產化肥中的氨。據國際能源署稱，如今，氫主要從天然氣或煤炭中提取，即所謂灰氫，提取過程每年排放8.3億噸二氧化碳。

Hydrogen produced from natural gas and which eliminates emissions by capturing and storing the emitted carbon is called blue hydrogen.

天然氣制氫將制造過程中排放的碳捕獲并儲存起來，其產品被稱為藍氫。

The holy grail is to extract hydrogen from water using electrolysis powered by renewable energy, “green hydrogen”, for under $1.50 per kilogram, to make it competitive with coal, oil and gas.

最令人向往的是以每千克不到1.50美元的成本、使用可再生能源對水進行電解來提取氫，即“綠氫”，這樣它與煤炭、石油和天然氣相比才能有競爭力。

electrolysis [lektrlss]：n.電解

The key costs that have to fall to meet the sub-$1.50 target are the cost of wind and solar power and the cost of electrolysers, which split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

要實現綠氫須降至1.50美元以下的目標，主要成本包含風能和太陽能的成本以及電解器的成本，電解器的作用是將水分解為氫和氧。

Renewable power costs need to fall by around 50% and electrolyser costs would need to drop by around 75% to meet that target, Australia’s renewable energy agency estimates.

澳大利亞可再生能源機構估計，要實現那個目標，可再生能源成本需要降低約50%，電解器成本則需要降低約75%。

The other main hurdle is transporting hydrogen long distances. To ship liquid hydrogen, it needs to be chilled to minus 253 degrees C. Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries is set to complete construction of the world’s first liquefied hydrogen carrier by early 2021.

另一個主要障礙是氫的遠距離運輸。液化氫必須冷卻到零下253攝氏度才能裝運。日本的川崎重工業公司將在2021年初以前建成全球首艘液化氫運輸船。

It is much easier to ship hydrogen in the form of liquid ammonia, which needs to be chilled to only minus 33 degrees C, so most of the world’s big hydrogen export projects are looking to ship green ammonia.

運輸以液態氨形式儲存的氫要容易得多，只需將它冷卻到零下33攝氏度。因此，世界上的大多數大型氫出口項目都考慮運輸綠氨。

The European Union has set out plans which could require up to 470 billion euros of investment in green hydrogen by 2050. Germany alone is targeting 5,000 megawatts of electrolysis capacity by 2030.

歐盟已經制訂了計劃，到2050年可能需要對綠氫投資高達4700億歐元。僅德國就打算到2030年達到5000兆瓦的電解能力。

Japan, a front-runner along with South Korea, is looking to sharply increase a target set in 2017 to import 300,000 tonnes a year of hydrogen in 2030, with new detailed plans expected in 2021 to help it meet its net zero emissions goal.

與韓國一道處于領先地位的日本正考慮大幅度提高2017年設定的目標，即到2030年每年進口30萬噸氫。據估計日本會在2021年制訂新的詳細計劃來幫助實現凈零排放目標。

US President-elect Joe Biden wants to fund research into technology, including large-scale electrolysers, to help make green hydrogen costs match conventional hydrogen within a decade.

美國當選總統喬·拜登計劃撥款研發相關技術，包括研發大型電解器，使綠氫成本在10年之內能與常規氫相當。

來源：路透社、參考消息網