当前位置： Language Tips> VOA听力> Special Speed News VOA慢速

South pacific islands now totally powered by the sun

中国日报网 2012-11-28 09:30

分享到

From VOA Learning English, this is the TECHNOLOGY REPORT in Special English.

Officials say the islands of Tokelau in the South Pacific Ocean have become the world’s first territory totally powered by the sun. The move is expected to save money and ease the environmental burden of depending on imported fossil fuels.

New Zealand’s foreign affairs minister released a statement about The Tokelau Renewable Energy Project. Murray McCully said Tokelau’s three main atolls, or islands, now have enough solar capacity to meet all of their electricity needs. He said until now, Tokelau has been one hundred percent dependent on diesel for producing electricity. That, he said, has burdened the country with heavy economic and environmental costs.

The three atolls of Tokelau are Atafu, Nukunonu and Fakaofo. The group of islands is about halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii and is administered by New Zealand. Together they have about one thousand five hundred citizens.

Each atoll received its own solar power grid system. New Zealand officials estimated the cost of the project to build the three solar grids at around seven million dollars. The last of the grids was completed earlier this month.

It is estimated that oil imports make up to thirty percent of national income in some parts of the Pacific. The move to solar power could save Tokelau about one million dollars a year. One project coordinator said Tokelau would now be able to spend more on social programs to help its citizens.

Other South Pacific islands are attempting similar projects. The island nations of Samoa and Tuvalu are aiming to get all of their electricity from renewable sources by twenty-twenty. The Cook Islands plans to start moving to solar panels and wind turbines. And most houses in the South Pacific groups of islands will begin to use solar water heaters.

East Timor's government has promised that no households in the capital, Dili, would be using firewood for cooking by twenty fifteen. It also says fifty percent of the country's electricity will come from renewable sources by the end of the decade.

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says the country will hold a Pacific energy summit in March next year. He said the meeting would build on the success of clean and affordable energy solutions for Tokelau, Tonga, and the Cook Islands.

And that's the VOA Special English Technology Report, written by June Simms. Transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of our reports are at www.voanews.cn. We’re also on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter at VOA Learning English. I'm Steve Ember.

Words and their stories: state nicknames, part 2

A declaration seeking life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

Thanksgiving, but US turkey farmers aren't celebrating

（来源：VOA 编辑：Julie）

上一篇 : California voters reject food labeling requirement
下一篇 : Seeking HIV tests for all in US age 15-65

分享到

中国日报网英语点津版权说明：凡注明来源为“中国日报网英语点津：XXX（署名）”的原创作品，除与中国日报网签署英语点津内容授权协议的网站外，其他任何网站或单位未经允许不得非法盗链、转载和使用，违者必究。如需使用，请与010-84883561联系；凡本网注明“来源：XXX（非英语点津）”的作品，均转载自其它媒体，目的在于传播更多信息，其他媒体如需转载，请与稿件来源方联系，如产生任何问题与本网无关；本网所发布的歌曲、电影片段，版权归原作者所有，仅供学习与研究，如果侵权，请提供版权证明，以便尽快删除。