Passage 3
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage: Kenna Ofoegbu,a software engineer in Houston,Texas,struggles to keep his three children cool in the summer,relying on air conditioning.(79)However,their home has lost power three times in the past two and a half months,with one outage(断电)lasting three days.This forced Kenna and his wife to pay for two nights at a hotel for air conditioning and the Internet,which he considered essential for his work.
After their experience,the couple purchased a generator for $1,500,along with $800 for installation.While generators are effective,they burn oils,leading to air pollution and contributing to climate change.As a result,many people,including Ofoegbu,are exploring cleaner energy options for emergencies.
Currently,many homeowners are installing battery(蓄电池)systems alongside solar panels(太阳能板).In California,over half of solar panel buyers have turned to battery storage to ensure power during outages.Nationally,sales of solar-plus-battery systems rose significantly over the past year,with experts predicting that 27%of new home solar systems will include battery storage.Although these systems can be expensive,falling prices and government efforts are making them more affordable.
Solar generators and solar power stations are also gaining popularity.These devices store electricity for future use,and one such product,the "Patriot Generator", costs around $2,500.(80)It can power a refrigerator for 19 hours or several electronic devices for over 100 hours.Companies like Yeti,Bluetti,and Jackery sell similar products,which weigh about 40 to 60 pounds and can be charged by plugging them in or using solar panels.
As climate change causes more severe weather,the need for backup(备用的) power solutions is increasing.In 2022,Americans experienced 6%more power disruptions than in 2013.On average,it took one hour longer to restore power compared to previous years.Many outages last over 12 hours,contributing to poor air quality as people rely on generators.
Oil generators emit harmful pollutants,which worsen health problems and contribute to climate change.Jason Benedict,who moved to Michigan and faced multiple outages,chose a cleaner solution by investing about $25,000 in solar panels and a Tesla Powerwall battery for his home
Though traditional generators are less expensive,experts suggest they are not environment-friendly for the future. Kenna and Jason's choices reflect a growing trend toward green energy solutions in light of modern challenges.