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Scientists searching for the ultimate alternative fuel have tried everything from corn to coconuts.  
科學家為了尋求終極的替代能源，從玉米到椰子已經嘗試了各種東西。  

2
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One rather interesting possibility stands out because it addresses some of the problems encountered with biofuels.  
其中一個有趣的可能方案特別突出，因為這個東西能夠解決生質燃料面臨的若干問題。  

3
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As Miles O'Brien now reports, we could end up filling our fuel tanks with pond scum.
邁爾斯‧歐布萊恩的報導指出，我們以後可能會在燃料箱裡添加池塘裡的浮藻。

4
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This is where the magic happens.
一切的神奇就在這裡發生。

5
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Glen Kertz believes this is the magic bullet alternative to oil.  
葛倫‧克爾茲認為這是替代石油的靈丹妙藥。  

6
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It's pond scum, but without the pond, and that's what sets his idea apart.
這是池塘的浮藻，但不是漂浮在池塘裡，而這也正是他這項構想的過人之處。

7
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Kertz is flowing and growing algae through a long winding journey in clear plastic bags suspended in a greenhouse.  
克爾茲把水藻培植在懸吊於溫室當中的透明塑膠袋裡，讓它們在塑膠袋形成的蜿蜒通道中流動。  

8
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He calls the system Vertigro.
他把這套系統取名為「垂直生長」。

9
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It keeps the algae hanging in the sunlight just long enough to pick up the solar energy they need to produce, you know, the lipids to go through photosynthesis.
這套系統能夠讓水藻長時間暴露在陽光下，吸取足夠的太陽能製造脂質來進行光合作用。

10
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The algae grows fast and is siphoned off continuously.  
藻類的生長速度很快，並且不斷以虹吸管吸出。  

11
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The algae oil is extracted, ready to be refined into fuels like biodiesel.  
水藻油萃取出來之後，即可提煉成生質柴油這類的燃料。  

12
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Kertz says he can produce 100,000 gallons of algae oil per acre per year.
克爾茲說，他每年每英畝的土地能生產出十萬加侖的水藻油。

13
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Compare that to corn, which yields about 20 to 30 gallons an acre,  
比較起來，玉米每年每英畝只能產出二十至三十加侖。  

14
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and the Vertigro facility is a long way from the Corn Belt, in the desert near El Paso, the perfect place.
「垂直生長」的廠房距離美國中西部的玉米帶很遙遠，設在鄰近厄爾巴索的沙漠裡。這裡正是最理想的地方。

15
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If we took about a tenth of the state of New Mexico and converted it into algae production alone. OK, we could do all the transportation needs for the United States.
如果把新墨西哥州十分之一的面積用來培植海藻，就足以因應全美的交通燃料需求。

16
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Kertz and his team are working full throttle, looking for and patenting the ideal algaes to make fuels.  
克爾茲和他的團隊正竭盡全力尋找製作燃料的理想海藻種類，並且也為此申請專利。  

17
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And who knows?  
誰知道呢？  

18
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Maybe even an energy drink.
也許他們還能開發出能量飲料。

19
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Kind of refreshing.
這水藻喝起來還蠻清爽的。

20
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Yep, that's not bad.
嗯，味道還不賴。

21
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If Vertigro pans out as Kertz predicts, we may all be raising our glasses to once-lowly pond scum.
如果「垂直生長」像克爾茲預料的那麼成功，我們可能都要舉杯向原本卑賤的綠藻致敬了。