蓋茨：我深信核能會像疫苗一樣產生革命性影響

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作者：葛維維

2018年底，蓋茨先生第三次接受《中國核工業》雜志專訪。專訪中，他提出了很多核能發展的創新理念，比如要保證核能在無碳發電中的地位；比如核電不能只盯著生活和商業用電，重點應放在交通和工業用電等。我們精選了專訪中的獨到觀點。

1.對我來說，能夠在核能等迷人的領域工作是一種幸運。我與很多才華橫溢的人合作，研究那些能夠產生巨大影響的想法。

2.現在真正讓我全心全意地撲在上面的是比爾及梅琳達·蓋茨基金會和泰拉能源的工作。這些工作有一個共同點，就是都能有機會去解決人類目前面臨的一些緊迫挑戰。

3.我們致力于提供所有人都能享受到的便宜、可靠的電力能源。我相信這項技術會像軟件和疫苗一樣產生革命性的影響。

4.更多地利用核能和可再生能源等清潔能源來發電阻止全球氣候變化，需要個人和公共部門共同努力，開發和部署這些能源。

5.全球核能事業不斷發展，對應對全球氣候變化，創造增長、發展的機遇非常重要。

6.先進的計算機技術和現代工程工具已經克服了那些曾經阻止核能發揮其全部潛力的困難。

7.由于新的設計能夠減少核廢物和簡化燃料循環的過程，核能的部署將會更快。

8.美國優先保證核能在無碳發電中的地位。許多國家的電價還沒有包含空氣污染以及氣候變化帶來的額外成本。

9.居民用電和商業用電僅占我們總能源消耗的三分之一左右，交通和工業過程消耗了另外三分之二能源。核能的另一個巨大潛力就是它在工業過程中減少碳排放的能力。

10.中國迅速增長的對清潔能源的需求，使它成為未來新項目最具吸引力的市場。

專訪比爾·蓋茨：

擁抱核能，應對全球氣候變化

記者：您曾作為微軟公司聯合創始人享譽世界，但近十年來更多的人開始了解您是作為泰拉能源主席的身份。由于您在能源領域的努力，去年您還獲得了中國工程院外籍院士的頭銜。從計算機跨界到能源，您如何看待這兩種身份的轉變？

蓋茨先生：對我來說，能夠在許多迷人的領域工作是一種幸運。在這些領域，我與很多才華橫溢的人合作，研究那些能夠產生巨大影響的想法。

當我在微軟工作時，我和我的團隊熱衷于開發很棒的軟件，這些軟件授予人們使用。現在我依然會參與微軟的一些工作，但是真正讓我全心全意地撲在上面的是比爾及梅琳達·蓋茨基金會和泰拉能源的工作。這些工作有一個共同點，就是都能有機會去解決人類目前面臨的一些緊迫挑戰。比如，通過泰拉能源，我們致力于提供所有人都能享受到的便宜、可靠的電力能源。我相信這項技術會像軟件和疫苗一樣產生革命性的影響。

記者：您曾在很多場合公開表示，發展核能是解決人類能源問題最清潔有效的一種方式，您也以實際行動支持了這一想法。那么，現今您如何看待核能的地位及其發展潛力？

蓋茨先生：聯合國政府間氣候變化專門委員會（IPCC）在其最新的報告中，呼吁減少全球碳排放量。我們需要減少碳排放來阻止全球氣候變化。實現這一目標的一個關鍵路徑就是更多地利用核能和可再生能源等清潔能源來發電。這也需要個人和公共部門共同努力，開發和部署這些能源。

過去60年里，核能之所以能發揮如此重要的作用，很大程度上得益于國際合作。正是因為國際合作，目前全世界有10000多家醫院在使用醫用同位素；30個國家建造了400多座在運的核反應堆和245座正在運行的研究用反應堆。全球核能事業不斷發展，對應對全球氣候變化，創造增長、發展的機遇非常重要。

記者：要實現核電的進一步發展，您覺得整個行業還面臨哪些方面的挑戰？如何看待和實現核電的全球發展？

蓋茨先生：目前很多國家正在部署先進的核技術。包括中國、印度和阿聯酋在內的17個國家正在開工建設新的核電機組。

我樂觀地認為，像泰拉能源行波堆這樣先進的核能技術將有助于消除公眾對核能安全性的一些擔憂。先進的計算機技術和現代工程工具已經克服了那些曾經阻止核能發揮其全部潛力的困難，由于新的設計能夠減少核廢物和簡化燃料循環的過程，核能的部署將會更快。

機構如何為出售的電力定價，也將影響世界某些地區核能的未來。美國目前優先保證核能在無碳發電中的地位。許多市場的電價還沒有包含空氣污染以及氣候變化帶來的額外成本。

核能的另一個巨大潛力就是它在工業過程中減少碳排放的能力。居民用電和商業用電僅占我們總能源消耗的三分之一左右，交通和工業過程消耗了另外三分之二能源。

記者：此次您參加中國國際進口博覽會還做了主旨發言，是否可以談一談您此行的一些想法？今年中國已經陸續實現三代核電技術AP1000、EPR并網發電，您如何看待中國核電的發展前景？

蓋茨先生：整個世界需要向著接近零溫室氣體排放的目標邁進，我認為核能將在這個過程中扮演關鍵角色。IPCC最近的一份報告提到，如果我們要避免氣候變化的最壞后果，核能必須發揮更大的作用。中國迅速增長的對清潔能源的需求，使它成為未來新項目最具吸引力的市場。

比爾·蓋茨專訪英文原文

China Nuclear Industry Magazine Q&A

Q(Question):You are world famous as co-founder of Microsoft. In recent decades, people know more about your identification as the chairman of TerraPower. Last year, you were elected to Chinese Academy of Engineering for your endeavor in energy. What’s your opinion about the transformation of your two identities

A（Answer）:I’m very lucky that I get to work in many fascinating areas where I partner with brilliant people on ideas that could have a big impact. At Microsoft, we were passionate about writing great software that empowered people. I’m still involved with Microsoft today but am focusing full-time on my work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as well as TerraPower. What all this work has in common is the opportunity to help people solve pressing challenges. For example with TerraPower we are trying to help create affordable, reliable electricity for everyone. I believe it could be as transformative as software and vaccines have been.

Q:In many public occasions, you have said that nuclear is the cleanest and most efficient way to solve the energy problem. Also，you supported the idea with practical action. Nowadays, what do you think the role of nuclear energy played in contemporary energy development  What is your view on further potential of nuclear power

A:In the latest IPCC report, the call to action was clear. We need to reduce carbon emissions to stop climate change. One key way to do that is to generate more power with clean sources like nuclear and renewables. That will require the private and public sectors to work together on developing and deploying these sources.

International cooperation is what has allowed nuclear energy to play such an important role over the past 60 years. It led to the use of medical isotopes in 10,000 hospitals worldwide. It aided 30 countries in developing more than 400 operational nuclear power reactors and 245 operational research reactors. Continued global progress on nuclear energy is important for fighting climate change and creating opportunities for growth and development.

Q:To push the nuclear technology to further development, what are the challenges you think we will meet  Meanwhile, in order to make nuclear industry to achieve a global development, what should we do to mitigate these problems

A:Advancing nuclear technology is being deployed. New nuclear construction is underway in 17 countries including China, India and the UAE.

I’m optimistic that advanced technologies like TerraPower’s traveling wave reactor will help overcome some public concerns about nuclear power. Advanced computing and modern engineering tools have closed gaps that made it difficult for nuclear technology to achieve its full potential. Nuclear deployment will take place even faster as new designs reduce waste and simplify the fuel cycle.

How utilities choose to price the power they sell will also affect the future of nuclear energy in some parts of the world. In the U.S., it is a priority right now to preserve nuclear’s role in carbon free electricity generation. The cost of electricity in many markets does not reflect the externalized costs of air pollution and climate change.

The other great potential I see is in the ability for nuclear energy to reduce carbon in industrial processes. Residential and commercial electricity use is only about one third of our total energy use. Transportation and industrial processes represent the other two thirds of energy demand and emissions.

Q:You have attended the China international import expo and made a forum speech. Can you share your impression with us  This year in China, the third-generation nuclear technology AP1000 and EPR has been grid-connected, what’s your expectation on China’s nuclear industry.

A:The world needs to get to nearly zero greenhouse gas emissions, and I think nuclear power is going to play a crucial role in that effort. The most recent IPCC report noted that nuclear power must play a greater role if we’re going to avoid the worst effects of climate change. China’s fast-rising demand for clean energy makes it an attractive market for future new projects.

（本文經過泰拉能源授權刊登，特別鳴謝泰拉能源公司高級副總裁王定南、原環球創新核能技術有限公司副總裁章慶華為本次專訪所付出的努力）

單戀一枝花

核能搞定，那將是功德無量與無法比擬的財富