Chalmers Is Fighting The Crisis

From the days of the early Egyptians to the court of Louis XIV the sun has fascinated man. And with the world's energy supply dwindling, some are looking to the sun as a new source of power.

Bruce Chalmers, a Harvard scientist, is working to develop a new solar battery that would harness the sun's energy and supply cheap power. Experts say the battery could help ease the burden of energy shortages.

Chalmers, McKay Professor of Metallurgy, is collaborating with the Tyco Labs in Waltham in an attempt to perfect a process which would convert solar energy into inexpensive industrial power.

A senior vice president for Tyco said if Chalmer's method is successful, "We will have the handle on a truly major jump on the energy business."

Chalmers was non-committal on the progress of his work this week, but sources close to him report the theoretical portion of the project is near a successful conclusion.

In the past, the cost of converting solar energy has been prohibitive, for solar batteries require the expensive slicing of silicon crystals.

But Chalmers and Thomas Surek, research fellow in metallurgy, are developing an inexpensive means for producing the crystals. The two scientists have been using a computer to simulate the silicon-ribbon growing process. Tyco is doing the laboratory work, including the actual growing of the ribbons.

Surek said "sheets and square feet and miles" of the ribbons would have to be grown to assess the practical success of the process.

An official at Tyco said a successful solar energy plant would be non-polluting, without moving parts, and based on a free and infinite energy source. With Chalmers and Tyco's solar battery a solution to the energy crisis may be not far away.