Woman pioneer of solar technology
125th birthday of biophysicist Mária Telkes
Born on December 12, 1900, in Budapest, Mária Telkes became famous in the USA as the “Sun Queen.” During World War II, she developed a portable solar distiller that could convert seawater into drinking water, and in 1948, she designed one of the first solar-heated houses.
After receiving her doctorate in physical chemistry in 1924, Mária Telkes, at the age of 24, emigrated to the United States. There, the possibilities of solar technology were already being hotly debated in scientific circles. From 1939, Telkes worked at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). When World War II broke out, she was assigned to the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development and tasked with developing a portable solution to protect American soldiers from dehydration while on duty. Telkes subsequently invented a mobile solar distiller. The simple, inflatable device consisted of transparent plastic sheeting: salty seawater evaporated inside it due to the input of sunlight, thus becoming desalinated and converted into drinking water. This clever invention was included in the U.S. military’s medical emergency equipment saving the lives of countless downed pilots and shipwrecked sailors.
After the war, MIT appointed Telkes as a lecturer in metallurgy. Together with the architect Eleanor Raymond, she developed the Dover Sun House in 1948, which was heated solely by solar energy. The building in Dover, Massachusetts, was one of the first residential houses worldwide to implement a passive solar energy concept, meaning it required no heating system, even without active photovoltaic elements – and it even worked on cloudy days. She used a chemical system to store the solar heat: The 18 windows were equipped with double glazing, so that the air between the panes was heated by sunlight. The warm air was then transported by fans into storage containers filled with Glauber’s salt, as Glauber’s salt has heat-storing properties. These storage containers were built into the walls, invisible to the residents.
On Christmas Eve 1948, relatives of Telkes moved into the house. After three years, however, problems arose with the heating system’s technology. The high temperatures caused the seals to become porous over time, and the collectors lost significant efficiency. Furthermore, the Glauber’s salt was not stable and had to be replaced annually. This led to the tanks containing the salt quickly rusting and leaking. In 1954, the solar heating system was replaced with a conventional oil furnace. The house was demolished in 2010.
Mária Telkes was not discouraged by such setbacks, but continued her research undeterred. She thus embodies a pioneering spirit that is frequently found and fostered in the USA – unlike in Germany. “Telkes demonstrates that sustainable solutions emerge when vision and pragmatism meet,” says Carl Schmidt-Ehemann. The managing director of SEP Consulting in Frankfurt / Main still considers the Hungarian-American biophysicist an inspiration for the industry, encouraging others to embrace innovation. His company has therefore dedicated a webpage to Telkes as their “Innovator of the Month.”
Mária Telkes wasn’t solely focused on technological advancement: she was convinced that energy innovations should benefit people in their daily lives – especially women, who at that time still struggled with smoky kitchens and inadequate heating. In 1952, Telkes therefore accepted a commission from the Ford Foundation to develop a solar cooker for use in developing countries. The basic design of the oven is still used today. Throughout her career, she constantly had to overcome prejudice herself as a woman in a profession that was still largely dominated by men. This is discussed in the “What’sHerName” Podcast Episode 114 by scientists Katie Nelson and Olivia Meikle, with both the producer and director of the PBS documentary “The Sun Queen.”
Due to her groundbreaking developments in the field of solar energy, Telkes earned the nickname “Sun Queen.” She also received numerous awards. Mária Telkes died thirty years ago, on December 2, 1995, in Cleveland, Ohio. By then, she had registered_ twenty patents in her name. Her work laid the foundation for many of today’s solar technologies – from heating systems for residential buildings to large-scale power generation.
This text was first published on my German website and translated by me.