爱沙尼亚的科学家表示，他们已经找到了一种使用类似泥土的材料生产电池的方法。
The material is peat, a dark substance made of decomposed plants. Peat is widely available in areas across northern Europe.
这种材料就是泥炭，一种由腐烂植物产生的深色物质。泥炭在北欧各地到处存在。
Researchers from Estonia's Tartu University say they have found a way to use peat in sodium-ion batteries. This kind of battery is one of several new technologies being considered to replace widely used lithium-ion batteries.
爱沙尼亚塔尔图大学的研究人员表示，他们已经找到了一种在钠离子电池中使用泥炭的方法。这种电池是正被考虑用于取代广泛使用的锂离子电池的几种新技术之一。
Lithium-ion batteries power everything from smartphones to computers to electric vehicles.
锂离子电池为从智能手机到计算机再到电动汽车的一切事物提供电力。
Sodium-ion technology reduces the cost of the battery production process. This is because the batteries contain sodium instead of costly materials such as lithium, cobalt or nickel.
钠离子技术降低了电池生产过程中的成本。这是因为电池中含有钠，而不是锂、钴或镍之类的昂贵材料。
Enn Lust is head of the Institute of Chemistry at Tartu University. He told reporters with Reuters news agency that peat "doesn't cost anything, really."
恩·鲁斯特是塔尔图大学化学研究所所长。他对路透社表示，泥炭真的不费钱。
The battery-making process includes heating the decomposed peat to a high temperature for two to three hours. The university is seeking government support to finance a small factory in Estonia to test the technology.
这种电池制造过程包括将腐烂的泥炭加热到高温并维持两三小时。该大学正在寻求政府支持，为爱沙尼亚一家小工厂提供资金以便测试该技术。
Peat is commonly found in wet areas known as bogs. It is used by whisky makers in Scotland. Some northern European countries use the material to fuel factories and homes. It is also added to soil to help plants grow.
泥炭通常存在于被称为沼泽的潮湿地区。它被苏格兰的威士忌制造商所利用。一些北欧国家使用这种材料为工厂和家庭提供燃料。它还被添加到土壤中以帮助植物生长。
During the collection process, bogs are drained to mine peat. Trapped carbon dioxide is released into the air. This has raised environmental concerns. But the Estonian scientists say their process uses decomposed peat. This a waste product of traditional collection methods. It is usually thrown away.
在收集过程中，沼泽被排干以开采泥炭。它所捕获的二氧化碳会释放到空气中。这引发了环境问题。但爱沙尼亚科学家称其工艺采用腐烂的泥炭。这是传统收集方法中的废弃物。它通常会被丢弃。
Lukasz Bednarski is a battery materials expert. He told Reuters that sodium-ion batteries using peat will need to prove to be profitable and easily produced in large numbers.
鲁卡斯·贝德纳尔斯基是电池材料专家。他对路透社表示，使用泥炭的钠离子电池需要证明是有利可图并且易于大量生产。
In July, China's CATL became the first major automotive battery maker to release a sodium-ion battery.
今年7月，中国宁德时代成为首家发布钠离子电池的主要汽车电池制造商。
Bednarski said, "I think that companies will increasingly try to commercialize the sodium-ion battery, especially after the CATL announcement."
贝德纳尔斯基表示：“我认为那些公司将会越来越多地尝试将钠离子电池商业化，尤其是在宁德时代发布之后。”
He added that less powerful sodium-ion batteries are likely to be used together with lithium-ion technology to bring down the overall cost of battery systems.
他还表示，功率较小的钠离子电池可能会和锂离子电池配合使用，以降低电池系统的整体成本。
I'm Bryan Lynn.
我是布莱恩·林恩。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，请勿转载，违者必究！)