Tokelau is a group of small islands1 in the
South Pacific Ocean. Officials now say they have become2 the world's first territory totally3 powered4 by the sun5. The move6 to solar energy
is expected to save7
money and ease8
the environmental9
burden10 of
depending on imported fossil fuels.
New Zealand's foreign affairs12 minister, Murray McCully, announced13 the
Tokelau Renewable14
Energy Project. He said15
Tokelau's three main16
atolls, or islands, now have enough19 solar capacity20 to meet21 all of their electricity needs22.
He said Tokelau had been23 completely dependent on diesel fuel
for producing electricity. That burdened24
the territory with heavy25
economic and environmental costs26.
Tokelau is about halfway27
between New Zealand and Hawaii.
The self-administering28 territory of New Zealand has
about 1500 citizens29.
Each30 atoll received31 its own32 solar power grid system33.
New Zealand officials estimate34
the cost of the project to be about $7 million.
The last of the grids35 was completed earlier36 this month. Oil imports37 are a big cost in some parts of the
Pacific. The move to solar power could
save38 Tokelau about $1 million a year. One project
coordinator said Tokelau would now be
able39 to spend40
more on social programs to help its citizens.
Other South Pacific islands are attempting41 similar42 projects.
The island nations of Samoa and Tuvalu are aiming43
to get44 all of
their electricity from renewable sources45
by 2020. The Cook Islands plans to
start46 using solar panels and wind47 turbines.
And houses in the South Pacific
groups of islands are beginning48
to use solar water heaters49.
New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister adds
that50 his country will hold51
a Pacific energy summit52 in March next year. For VOA Learning English, I'm Laurel
Bowman. (Adapted from a radio program broadcast 19Nov2012)
Vocabulary
1. small islands = ilhas pequenas
2. have become = tem se tornado
3. totally = totalmente
4. powered = alimentado (energia)
5. sun = sol
6. move = mudança
7. is expected to save = espera-se que vá economizer
8. ease = amenizar
9. environmental = ambiental
10. burden = carga, fardo
11. fuels = combustiveis
12. foreign affairs = relações exteriores
13. announced = anunciou
14. Renewable = renovável
15. Said = disse
16. Main = principal
17. Said = disse
18. Atolls = atóis
19. Enough = suficiente
20. Capacity = capacidade
21. Meet = atender, satisfazer
22. electricity needs = necessidades elétricas
23. had been = tinha sido
24. burdened = sobrecarregou
25. heavy = pesado
26. costs = custos
27. about halfway = mais ou menos na metade do caminho
28. self-administering = auto-admnistração
29. citizens = cidadãos
30. Each = cada
31. Received = recebeu
32. Own = próprio
33. power grid system = sistema de rede elétrica
34. estimate = estimar, calcular
35. grids = grades
36. earlier = mais cedo
37. Oil imports = importações de petróleo
38. could save = poderia economizer
39. would now be able = seria agora capaz
40. spend = gastar
41. attempting = tentando
42. similar = semelhante
43. aiming = objetivando
44. get = obter
45. sources = fontes
46. plans to start = planeja começar
47. wind = vento
48. beginning = começando
49. solar water heaters = aquecedores de água solar
50. adds that = acrescenta que
51. hold = realizar
52. summit = cúpula
