How did Maria Telkes invent solar energy?

Mária Telkes was a Hungarian-born American physical chemist and biophysicist. Telkes is regarded as one of the pioneers of solar thermal storage systems, earning her the moniker “Sun Queen.”

Mária Telkes dedicated her professional life to this endeavor, inventing some of the world’s first solar heating systems, solar ovens, and even a solar-powered water distilling system.

Maria Telkes began working as a research engineer at Westinghouse Electric in 1937. Her work there was her first foray into solar technology, as she created devices that transformed heat energy into electrical energy.

Maria Telkes joined the Solar Energy Conversion Project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1940 and began working on developing practical uses and applications for solar energy.

While at MIT, she designed a solar heating system for the Dover House, an experimental home built in 1948 to demonstrate the power of solar energy, designed by architect Eleanor Raymond and sponsored by Amelia Peabody.

Telkes’ system was capable of capturing and storing solar energy, which was then distributed as needed by fans.

Her storage method was based on chemistry; she devised a method for storing solar-generated energy chemically by crystallizing a sodium sulfate solution.