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John Yellott (1908-1986)

Country: United States
Year Started Research: 1958
Title of Research: Passive solar at John Yellott Engineering Laboratories,
and the Yellott Solar Energy Laboratory
University: Arizona State University
Still Active in Research: No

John I. Yellott (October 25, 1908 – December 30, 1986) was a scientist internationally recognized as
a pioneer in passive solar energy, and an inventor with many patents to his credit. In his honor the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers (“ASME”) Solar Division confers a biannual “John I. Yellott Award” which
“recognizes ASME members who have demonstrated sustained leadership within the Solar Energy Division,
have a reputation for performing high-quality solar energy research and have made significant contributions
to solar engineering through education, state or federal government service or in the private sector.”
In June 1958 Yellott founded John Yellott Engineering Laboratories, and the Yellott Solar Energy Laboratory, in
Phoenix, ArizonaHe became an industrial consultant, with a primary focus on reflective glazing. He served as
Headmaster and then Director of Development for Phoenix Country Day School and taught environmental control
systems at the College of Architecture at Arizona State University. As the first Chairman of the ASME Solar Energy
Applications Group (later Solar Energy Division) he was in a position of leadership “that was critical to the official
‘rediscovery’ of solar energy following the 1973 oil crisis”.Soon after the oil crisis, Arizona State’s College of
Architecture instituted a solar program and chose Yellott as its head; he continued to teach there until his retirement
at age 70. Further details on the life and achievements of John Yellott can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
John_I._Yellott

5.6 Industry Pioneers 1950-1959

Lucien Bronicki

Country: Israel
Year Started Research/Industry: 1956/1964
Company first worked for: National Physical Laboratory, Jerusalem
(1958)
Technology area: Solar Thermal and Geothermal
Still active in the industry: No

In 1964 the solar program at the National Physical Laboratory was terminated and Bronicki received a license
for his patent and established Ormat Turbines Ltd. to continue the R&D and commercialize his invention
1966- first commercial unit was a solar powered ORC power unit of 600W which powered an electric water
pump in Mali, Africa 1970’- lack of interest in small solar units for remote villages forced Ormat to look for other
applications: power for unattended telecommunication repeaters where low maintenance requirements of these
units now modified to use kerosene or LPG, made them superior to diesel -generator sets. About 3,000 units
200W to 4kW units were sold. 1979- after the 1973 energy crisis, renewed interest in solar energy led to the
development of a 150kW ORC unit powered by a solar pond followed by a 5MW plant, which operated for 7years.
1980’ -energy prices dropped forcing Ormat to look again for other applications: this time were MW scale ORC
systems for electricity production from geothermal heat sources and industrial waste heat. 2020- Ormat has built
more than 500 modules in the power range of 1 to 40 MW, totaling more than 2,000 MW, largest pure ORC plant
is the 100 MW Ngatamariki in New Zealand. In the last two decades, Ormat’s patents which are now in the public
domain, were adopted by GE, Pratt and Whitney, Mitsubishi, and Fuji Heavy Industries and others. Ormat units
still represent 90% of the world’s total ORC. Ormat Technologies Inc.(the successor of Ormat Turbines), is a public
company traded on New York and Tel Aviv Stock Exchanges. (www.ormat.com) Bronicki holds alone 35 US patents
and another 70 US Patents in cooperation with others. He has authored some 80 professional articles. Mr. Bronicki
was member of the Studies Committee “Energy for Tomorrows World Commission” of the World Energy Council.

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