Page 130 - ISES SWC50

Alan Langworthy
Country: Australia
Year joined industry: 1974
Company first worked for: National Energy Office then Energy Systems
International
Technology area: Wind
Still active in the industry: Yes

In 2010 Alan Langworthy was awarded the Clunies Ross Medal from the Australian Academy of Technological
Science and Engineering; for the “application of science and technology for the economical, social and environmental
benefit of Australia”. Alan began work on wind diesel power systems in the early 1970’s and installed Australia’s first
large domestic wind turbine to power his rural property. As the Executive Secretary to the New Energy Technical
Standing Committee of the National Energy Research Development and Demonstration Council of Australia’s
Federal Government Energy Office he undertook global research into renewable energy solutions. Moving into the
private sector Alan formed Energy Systems International Pty Ltd to design, market and install small scale wind and
solar systems to rural Australia. Selling this company to Pacific Dunlop Pty Ltd he began, Powercorp Pty Ltd in
1988 specifically to automate and develop larger remote diesel power stations in inland Australia. Powercorp not
only automated existing diesel power stations but also developed new technology to enable the high penetration
of wind turbine output into these systems. This work led to the invention of the PowerStore (a flywheel based grid
support device) and a unique power system wide control system. Alan was able to build commercial wind and/or
solar diesel power stations that saw up to 100% renewable energy integration. These systems were built around
the world from Antarctica to the Azores. In 2011 Alan sold the Powercorp business to ABB. After a 3-year contract
with ABB to assist their new business Alan left to reform his private consulting business. In parallel with the above
work Alan was contracted by the ENERCON wind turbine company over a 12-year period to represent them in
Australia. He sold and installed over 150MW of Australia’s first grid connected wind farms. He offers a global
perspective on renewable energy systems and an intimate knowledge of diesel power stations. Alan has recently
completed his appointment as Chair of the Expert Panel advising the Northern Territory Government on a Roadmap
to Renewable Energy aimed at achieving 50% renewable energy injection.

Anoop Mathur
Country: USA
Year joined industry: 1977
Company first worked for: Honeywell Inc
Technology area: Solar Thermal
Still active in the industry: Yes

Anoop Mathur worked on the design team that developed the first 10MW Solar Power Tower, specifically
focusing on thermal energy storage using phase change in inorganic salts (PCMs) and later with thermocline
storage using Caloria HT-43 and rock. Later he worked on the 10MW Soleras (joint cooperation between US
and Saudi Arabia) Photovoltaic project that used solar cells made by Solarex cells and Hexcel parabolic solar
collectors. Also, in 1979 he tested several reflective solar films at the Desert Sunshine Exposure Grounds near
Phoenix, Arizona. He collected field data on an evacuated tube solar collector that used black absorber coating
developed by Honeywell and reflective film developed by 3M. Honeywell discontinued its work on solar in
January 1981, when US administration under President Reagan defunded all commercial work at DOE. After
developing and directing advanced technologies in control and sensing at Honeywell, he left Honeywell in
2008, and founded Terrafore Inc. with a goal to pursue research on phase change thermal storage. In 2013,
Terrafore succeeded in solving the low heat transfer problem with PCM storage by successfully encapsulating
the PCM salt in small capsules. The patented method is described on their website www.terraforetechnologies.
com. He supported a student at Virginia Tech receive his PhD enhancing the mathematical modeling for
cascading several encapsulated PCMs in a single container which improved the effective use of phase change
heat. Several papers were published on this topic. Subsequently, they also solved the issue with degradation
of thermocline by modifying the design of the storage container and using a predictive controller. Using this
patented method, thermocline is maintained automatically with multiple charge and discharge cycles. Anoop
Mathur is still active in the field of thermal storage developing PCM solutions for storing energy for hot water
and space heating in commercial buildings.
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