off-grid energy
正文
Frustrated with utilities, some Californians are leaving the grid
对电力公司感到失望，一些加州人正在脱离公共电网
In the Gold Rush, Northern California attracted prospectors looking for financial independence. Now, this area is at the vanguard of a new movement — people seeking to use only the energy they produce themselves.
在淘金热时期，北加州吸引了寻求经济独立的勘探者。现在，这个地区又处在一场新运动的前沿——人们力图只使用他们自己生产的能源。
Angry over blackouts, wildfires caused by utilities and rising electricity bills, a small but growing number of Californians in rural areas and in the suburbs of San Francisco are going off the grid. They can do so because of a stunning drop in the cost of solar panels and batteries over the past decade. Some homeowners who have built new, off-grid homes say they have even saved money because their systems were cheaper than securing a new utility connection.
由于对断电、电力公司引起的火灾和不断上涨的电费感到愤怒，在农村地区和旧金山郊区的加州人正在脱离公共电网，这群人的数量不多却在日益增长。他们之所以能够这样做，是因为在过去的十年里，太阳能电池板和电池的价格大幅下降。一些已经建造了新的脱网住宅的房主说，他们甚至省下了钱，因为他们自己的系统比获取电力公司的电网新连接更便宜。
People going off the grid argue that utilities are not moving fast enough to address climate change and are causing other problems. In Northern California, Pacific Gas & Electric's equipment caused the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed dozens and destroyed the town of Paradise. The utility's effort to prevent fires by cutting off power to homes and businesses has also angered people.
脱离电网的人认为，电力公司在应对气候变化方面的行动不够迅速，而且正在引发其他问题。在北加州，太平洋天然气和电力公司的设备引发了 2018 年的营地大火，造成数十人死亡，并摧毁了天堂镇。电力公司试图通过切断家庭和企业的电源来防止火灾的行为也激怒了人们。
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Nobody is quite sure how many off-grid homes there are, but local officials and real estate agents said there were dozens here in Nevada County. Some energy experts say that millions of people could eventually go off the grid as costs drop.
没有人确切知道有多少脱网住宅，但是当地官员和地产中介说，在内华达县当地就有几十个。一些能源专家表示，随着（自己搭建供电系统的）成本下降，数以百万计的人最终可能会脱离电网。
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"People want to have that self-reliance, there's very little reason not to do it if you have the means to make the investment now." said Diane Vukovic, who has researched the laws and regulations about going off the grid.
戴安娜·沃科维奇研究了关于脱离电网的法律法规，她说：“人们希望自力更生，如果你现在有能力进行投资，没有什么理由不这么做。”
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主编：Maisie，Franz
品控：Maisie
审核：Lucky
重点词汇
utility
/juːˈtɪl.ə.t̬i/
n. 公用事业（如煤气、电力等）；功用；实用
grid
/ɡrɪd/
n. （输电线路、天然气管道的）系统网络；网格；方格
英文释义：a pattern of straight lines, usually crossing each other to form squares
搭配短语：the national grid = the electricity supply in a country
prospector
/ˈprɑː.spektɚ/
n. 勘探者；探矿者
相关词汇：prospect（n. 希望；前景）
词性拓展：prospect（v. 勘探（以寻找金、银、石油等矿藏））
搭配短语：to prospect for oil
搭配短语：to prospect for gold
词根词缀：-or（表示人）
vanguard
/ˈvæn.ɡɑːrd/
n. 先锋，先驱者；前沿
相关词汇：avant-garde（n. 前卫；先锋）
搭配短语：in/at the vanguard of
例句：The shop has always been in/at the vanguard of fashion trends.
blackout
/ˈblæk.aʊt/
n. 停电，断电；眼前昏黑；暂时昏厥
相关词汇：black out
wildfire
/ˈwaɪld.faɪr/
n. 野火
相关词汇：wild（adj. 野生的；野外的）
相关词汇：fire（n. 火）
搭配短语：spread like wildfire
例句：The news spread like wildfire through the city.
bill
/bɪl/
n. 账单；议案，法案
搭配短语：phone bills
搭配短语：water bills
搭配短语：electricity bills
搭配短语：pass a bill
go off
电器设备）停止运转；离开
反义词：go on
例句：Suddenly the lights went off.
stunning
/ˈstʌn.ɪŋ/
adj. 令人震惊的；极具吸引力的，极漂亮的
相关词汇：stun（v. 使震惊）
搭配短语：a stunning view
solar
/ˈsoʊ.lɚ/
adj. 太阳的，和太阳有关的；利用太阳光的
搭配短语：solar radiation
搭配短语：a solar eclipse
搭配短语：solar energy/power
panel
/ˈpæn.əl/
n. （门、墙等上面的）嵌板，镶板，方格板块
英文释义：a piece of sth. that forms part of a larger surface such as a door or wall
搭配短语：a stained glass panel
off-grid
/ɑːfˈɡrɪd/
adj. 不入网的（不使用公用输电网、煤气输送网、自来水网等）
相关词汇：off（prep. 从……脱离）
同义词：off-the-grid
secure
/səˈkjʊr/
v. （尤指经过努力而）获得，得到；使安全
词性拓展：secure（adj. 安全的）
例句：The company secured a $20 million contract.
address
/əˈdres/
v. （着手）解决，处理（问题）
例句：Our products address the needs of users.
词性拓展：address（n. 地址）
dozen
/ˈdʌz.ən/
n. （一）打，十二个
搭配短语：a dozen eggs
搭配短语：dozens of people
搭配短语：dozens of times
cut off
中断，切断（电力、物资供应等）；（用锋利的刀具等）去除，剪去；
搭配短语：to cut off the fat before frying the steak
相关词汇：cutoff（n. 切断）
例句：A total cutoff of supplies would cripple the economy.
real estate
房地产；不动产
搭配短语：the real estate industry
eventually
/ɪˈven.tʃu.ə.li/
adv. 最终，终于，最后
词义辨析：eventually, finally
这两个词都有“最后”的意思，但 eventually 一般表示某事几经延迟或波折后最终发生，比如，他们经过一番寻找，终于找到了医院：Eventually they found the hospital.；而 finally 更多指经过长时间的等待或期盼后某事终于发生，比如，忙碌了一天后，我终于可以上床休息了：Finally I went to bed.。
self-reliance
/ˌself.rɪˈlaɪ.əns/
n. 自力更生，依靠自己
相关词汇：reliance（n. 依赖）
近义词：dependence（n. 依赖）
相关词汇：relay（v. 依靠）
相关词汇：self（n. 自我）
means
/miːnz/
n. 方式，方法；工具；手段
搭配短语：a means of doing sth.
搭配短语：means of transport
搭配短语：means of communication
词义辨析：means, method
这两个词都有“方法”的意思，但 means 侧重指为达到某种目的或目标而采用的方法、手段或途径；而 method 更多指有系统、有条理地办事或解决问题的方法。
