listen to episode 269 (approx. 17 minutes)

This is the last interview I had recorded at the CONSOLFOOD2020 conference in Faro.

Jean-Jacques Serra worked for some decades at the solar furnace in Odeillo in the South-West of France. With his large parabolic mirror of 45 kW power he researched the behaviour of materials at very high temperatures which can only be reached by concentrating sunlight.

Not far away from there, in Sorède, there is the home of the “Friends of Father Himalaya Association”. They have build a replica of a solar furnace that a portuguese priest, whose nickname was “Father Himalaya”, had constructed at the beginning of the 20th century. Jean-Jacques Serra is a member of this association and tells us the story of Father Himalaya and the replica.

Links:
Association des Amis de Padre Himalaya
CONSOLFOOD – Advances in Solar Thermal Food Processing