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In the spring of 1954, the press excitedly gathered around Bell Laboratories’ latest invention— a silicon-based solar cell that could efficiently convert the sun's energy into electrical current.
1954 年春，记者激动地聚在贝尔实验室的最新发明一旁，那是一片硅太阳能电池，可以高效地将太阳的能量转化为电流。
The creation was celebrated as the dawn of a new era, as reporters touted that civilization would soon run on the sun’s limitless energy.
这项发明被称赞为新时代的黎明，记者吹嘘文明将很快基于太阳取之不尽的能源。
But the dream had a catch, as this first commercially sold solar cell cost around $300 per watt, meaning at its current rate, it would cost well over a million to buy a unit large enough to power a single home.
但这个梦想有个阻碍，因为这第一片商业用的太阳能电池价格大约是每瓦 300 美元，意味着以现在这个价格，购买足以给一座房子供电的一组电池得花一百万多美元。
But today in many countries solar is the cheapest form of energy to produce, surpassing fossil fuel alternatives like coal and natural gas.
但如今在很多国家，太阳能已经成为了成本极低的能源，低过化石燃料，如煤炭和天然气。
Millions of homes are equipped with rooftop solar, with most units paying for themselves in their first 7 to 12 years and then generating further savings.
数以万计的房屋安装了屋顶太阳能板，其中大多数能在开始的 7 到 12 年内回本，之后可以继续节省支出。
So how did solar become so affordable?
那太阳能是如何变得这么廉价的呢？
A turning point in solar’s price history occurred on the floor of Germany’s parliament, where in 2000, Herman Scheer introduced the Renewable Energy Sources Act.
太阳能价格历史的转折点是在德国议会的会场中；2000 年，赫尔曼·舍尔（Hermann Scheer）提交了《可再生能源法》议案。
This legislation laid out a vision for the country’s energy future in solar and wind.
这项法规呈现了对德国基于太阳能和风能的未来能源梦想。
It incentivized citizens to personally invest in rooftop solar panels by guaranteeing payment to homeowners for the renewable energy they generated and sold to the grid.
它鼓励公民们自己置购屋顶太阳能板，承诺向业主支付他们产生并输入电网的再生能源的同等金额。
The pay rate for this electricity was highly subsidized, at times reaching four times the market price.
这种电力的价格补贴很高，一度达到市价的四倍。
Several other countries soon followed Germany’s example, implementing similar policies and incentives to drive their country’s solar use.
许多国家很快仿效德国，推行了类似的政策和激励措施，推动该国的太阳能使用。
This created unprecedented demand for solar panels worldwide.
这在世界各地都掀起了对太阳能板史无前例的需求。
Manufacturers were able to scale up production and innovate in ways that cut costs.
制造商扩大了生产，寻找降本的新方式。
As a result, solar panel prices dropped, while efficiency grew.
于是，太阳能板的价格降低了，能效提高了。
Today, a 46-square-meter rooftop solar unit is often efficient enough to fully power a home, and this residential unit no longer costs millions—in the US in 2022, the average consumer cost of a rooftop solar unit ranged from around $17,000 to $23,000.
如今，46 平米的屋顶太阳能板已经足以为一整个房屋供电，这座住宅不再需要花费上百万美元，2022 年，美国屋顶太阳能板的平均消费成本为17000 美元至 23000 美元不等。
These prices dropped by over 60% between 2010 and 2020 alone.
仅在 2010 年至 2020 年间，该价格就下降了超过 60%。
So how much money can you save by switching to solar?
如果改用太阳能，你能省多少钱呢？
US solar equipped homeowners can save around $1,500 per year on their energy bills, equating to a net savings of $10,000 to $30,000 during the unit’s lifetime.
安装了太阳能的美国业主每年可以在水电煤费用上节省大约 1500 美元，考虑到太阳能板的使用年限，总共可以节省一万到三万美元。
Month-to-month savings tend to vary, based on the amount of direct sunlight your panel receives, weather conditions, and the price of electricity where you live.
每月节省的费用会有差异，这取决于太阳能板接受到的直接光照量、天气情况和所在地的电价。
But not everyone can get solar.
但不是人人都能用上太阳能。
Adopting solar can be difficult for renters, and in many countries, more than 25% of adults don’t own their own homes.
对于租户来说，使用太阳能会比较困难，而很多国家有超过 25% 的成年人不拥有住房。
Even if you do, your roof must meet certain orientation and tilt requirements to make solar a worthwhile investment.
就算你拥有住房，你的屋顶必须满足特定的朝向和倾斜要求，才能让太阳能物有所值。
And while units often pay for themselves through offset energy costs, the initial purchase and installation price for solar can be expensive.
虽然太阳能板通常可以通过抵消能源开销回本，一开始的太阳能购置和安装费是昂贵的。
But several companies have adopted solar leasing models, where they finance the material costs, installation, and upkeep of the rooftop systems.
但有几家公司推出了太阳能租赁方案，它们将支付屋顶系统的材料费、安装费、保养费。
Homeowners can then buy the panel’s generated electricity at a fixed rate that’s generally lower than the local utility’s price.
然后屋主就可以以通常低于当地电价的固定价格购入太阳能板产生的电力。
Still, many are working towards community-based solutions, which would enable entire neighborhoods to profit from solar use.
而很多人在开发适用于社区的解决方案，可以让整个社区从太阳能的使用中获益。
Europe is home to more than 7,000 community energy associations, where local members collectively invest in wind turbines and solar panels to power their local grid.
欧洲有超过 7000 家社区能源组织，当地成员合资投入风力发电机和太阳能板，为当地电网供电。
In 2005, the German town of Wolfhagen created an 800 member citizens co-op, which communally invested $2.84 million to buy up 25% of the local energy company and expand its renewables program.
2005 年，德国小镇沃尔夫哈根（Wolfhagen）建立了 800 人的市民合作社，集资 284 万美元，购买当地能源公司高达 25% 的股份，扩大其可再生能源计划。
Today, its turbines and panels generate enough energy to meet the town’s needs and then some.
如今，风力发电机和太阳能板产生的电能足以满足小镇的需求，
Surplus energy is sold to neighboring towns, and profits are reinvested back into the community.
还留下多余的电力买给邻近城镇，这些利润用于发展社区。
For many, the appeal of solar goes beyond just savings.
对很多人来说，太阳能的吸引力不止省钱。
Homes equipped with it are more climate resilient, because they can be protected from utility grid outages and brownouts.
装有太阳能的房屋对气候有更强的适应能力，因为它们不会受到停电和强制节电的影响。
Not to mention solar’s key role in decarbonizing the energy grid.
更不用说太阳能在为电网脱碳的过程中扮演的关键角色。
By working together with larger-scale wind and solar farms, rooftop solar units help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, paving the way for a cleaner and more reliable energy future.
配合着大型风力和太阳能发电厂，屋顶太阳能板降低了我们对化石燃料的依赖，为更清洁、更可靠的能源未来铺平了道路。
