SOLAR HALL of FAME

Solar Hall of Fame
Freeman Ford Inducted to the International Solar Hall of Fame

Freeman Ford of FAFCO based in Chico California, were named as the 2006 inductees to the Solar Hall of Fame. The Solar Hall of Fame is an international award that was created by an Act of Congress sponsored by the Honorable John R. Foley, Esquire during the 1976 Bicentennial of the United States of America in Washington D.C. This award has been given to 45 men and women from various countries throughout the world since 1976.

The first inductees in 1976 were Dr. Charles Abbot, Dr. Erich A. Farber, Dr. John Yellot and Dr. Harry E. Thomason. A trophy is given to each year’s recipient that has a glowing red, orange and yellow sun rising out of a four sided monument that is reminiscent of the pyramid atop the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.

An international trademark was obtained for the Solar Hall of Fame for “PROMOTING EXECELLENCE IN THE FIELD OF SOLAR ENERGY UTILIZATION THROUGH PUBLIC TESTIMONIALS AND TRIBUTE TO OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTORS IN THE FIELD OF SOLAR ENERGY.”

A unique trophy symbol; the Solar Hall of Fame trademark/slogan is “Solar Hall of Fame 1976 to Today”. Each inductee receives a trophy inscribed with the Latin/Spanish “El Sol” and the Greek “Helios” above the inscription “Solar Hall of Fame”. Each individual given the award has their name inscribed under the year they were inducted on a brass plaque on one of the four sides of the pyramid. All previous inductees also have their names inscribed on brass plaques under the year they were inducted on one of the four sides of the pyramid.

Dr. Erich Farber, the last remaining member of the initial inductees gave out this year’s trophy on December 21st 2006 to Freeman Ford and Tom Lane.

Freeman Ford founded FAFCO in 1969. Fafco pioneered the use of polymers for solar pool heating, holds more than twenty patents and was incorporated in 1972. Today, US retail sales of solar thermal systems exceed $150,000,000. The electrical equivalent of FAFCO’s installed base alone exceeds 4000 megawatts.

Thomas H. Lane of ECS Solar Energy Systems in Gainesville Florida has spent over thirty years contracting and installing solar hot water, solar pool heating and solar electric systems, along with training other contractor’s world wide on how to install these systems. His 250 page book, “Solar Hot Water, Lessons Learned 1977 to Today” is the basic Handbook of solar hot water and solar pool installers in the United States.

Mr. Thomas Lane is currently instituting a solar training academy for interns to become knowledgeable in the field of solar contracting to meet the rising demand for qualified and knowledgeable solar installers.

Questions and inquiries about the Solar Hall of Fame can be directed to Dr. Erich A. Farber, Ph.D., PE. Distinguished Service Prof. EM. Director EM, Solar Energy & Energy Conversion Lab. University of Florida, 1218 NE 5th St Gainesville, FL. 32601. Phone number (352) 372-1064.

Previous Inductees to the Solar Hall of Fame



1976
Dr. Charles G. Abbot
Dr. Erich A. Farber
Dr. John I. Yellott
Dr. Harry E. Thomason

1977
Dr. Hoyt C. Hottel
Prof. Everett D. Howe
Mr. Frank Bridgers

1978
Dr. Farrington Daniels
Dr. Maria Telkes
Mr. Harold Hay

1979
Dr. Harry Z. Tabor
Dr. Richard C. Jordan
Dr. Valentin A. Baum

1980
Dr. Felix Trombe
Dr. Rodger Morse

1981
Dr. Ichimatsu Tanishita
Dr. Joseph Lindmayer

1982
Dr. Austin Whillier
Dr. Jagdish C. Kapur

1983
Dr. James L. Threlkeld
Mr. Raymond W. Bliss

1984
Dr. Thomas A. Lawand
Mr. Horace McCraken

1985
Dr. John Page
Dr. Francis de Winter

1986
Dr. Masanosuka Yanagimachi
Dr. James A. Eibling

1987
Dr. William A Shurcliff
Dr. Ken-Ichi Kimura

1988
Dr. William H. Klein
Dr. Joseph Loferski

1990
Mr. Steve Baer

1991
Dr. Lloyd O. Herwig
Dr. Yogi Goswami

1992
Dr. Kenneth G. Soderstrom
H. Jack L. Thomson, Jr.

1993
Robert L. Bailey
Webb W. Farber

1998
Dr. Norman C. Cope
Dr. Anil K. Rajvanshi

1999
Dr. David L. Block

2005
Dr. Karl W. Boer
Dr. Stanford R. Ovshinsky

2006
Mr. Tom Lane
Mr. Freeman Ford


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