Warming up to the idea of solar energy

It’s a dull day in late October. The talk, ironically, is about generating electricity from the sun, prompting memories of meeting a man, who was away ahead of his time, many years ago.In the 1980s, electrician Martin Murphy placed solar panels on the roof of his home, in Rathmore, County Kerry. I wrote a story in this newspaper about this rather unusual happening for the time, well before universal concerns about global warming, or the need to find renewable sources of energy.Solar panels in Rathmore, County Kerry in 1985Martin, who was electrical manager at the Cadbury factory, in Rathmore, aroused curiosity for the way he heated water for domestic use from the panels. “This is the way of the future and it can also save people money,’’ he assured us and anyone who wished to listen.He died earlier this year, aged 91. And, though not a boastful man, he must have taken quiet…

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