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1、洋葱居然可以用来发电?美国最大的洋葱加工商GillsOnions上周五推出了一个新的发电系统，可以将洋葱汁转换为电能。据悉，这种用洋葱发电的新系统有望每年为该公司节省70万美元的电费，还可为公司减少高达三万吨的温室气体排放。公司合伙人表示，这一想法最初源于如何处理洋葱废料这个令人头痛的问题。经过多年研究后他们发现，将洋葱皮捣碎后榨出的洋葱汁含糖量极高，很容易滋生细菌。而在新系统中，这些细菌可以通过洋葱汁产生甲烷，然后将其用于发电。该绿色发电系统有望承担该公司35％到40％的用电量。Onionsmakeyoucry,addflavortofooda
2、ndaretoutedfortheirmedicinalbenefits.Nowthevegetablehasanotheruse--poweringupgreenenergy.AnewsystemdebutsonFridaythatconvertsonionjuiceintoelectricityatGillsOnions,thelargestfreshonionprocessorintheUnitedStates.TheOxnard,California-basedcompanyexpectsitsnewonion-fueledpowerto
3、reduceitselectricbillby$700,000ayearandcutitsannualgreenhousegasemissionsbyupto30,000tons.Thehappyendingtothisgreenenergytale,however,startedwithanotherquestion:howtogetridofonionwaste."Whenwepeelanonion,35to40percentoftheonioncomesoffbeforewehaveausableonion.That'sthetop,tai
4、landskinaroundtheonionbeforeyougettothemeat,"saidStevenGill,co-ownerofthe25-year-oldcompany.Theyusedtohaulthewastetothefieldsforcomposting,butthatbecameaproblem.Tenyearsago,Gillstartedlookingattechnologyforasolution,includingmicroturbines."Weendedupshreddingtheskinsastheycome
5、outoftheplantandextractingallthejuice,whichisveryhighinsugars,andbacterialovethatstuff,"Gillsaid.Inthenewsystem,bacteriaproducemethanegasfromthejuice.Thegasthengoestotwo300kilowattfuelcells,creatingenoughpowerfor460homes.Thecompanyexpectstoget35to40percentofitselectricityfrom
6、theon-sitegenerator.Thecompanyinvested$9.5millionintheprojectandwillreceive$2.7millionfromSouthernCaliforniaGasCo.,aregulatedsubsidiaryofSempraEnergy,aspartofastateprogramtoencourageself-containedgenerationbybusinesses.Inadditiontocuttingitselectricbill,thecompanywillsave$400
7、,000inhaulingcostsandexpectspay-backinsixyears.Theoniongrowernowhasnewgoal:tobeazero-wastefacilityby2011."Wewantedtofollowitallthewaythroughandmakethefullcircle,"Gillsaid.
