ABSTRACT
Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) can directly convert heat into electricity. Based on heat sources, TEGs can be cataloged as geothermal TEGs automotive TEGs radioisotope TEGs and others. This chapter focuses on solar thermoelectric generators (STEGs), which harvest solar energy into electricity. The demonstrated flat-panel STEGs consisted of selective absorbers to absorb solar energy, vacuum enclosures to minimize conductive and convective losses, nanostructured TE modules with high ZT to generate electricity, and thermal concentration designs to increase hot-side temperatures. Solar energy has been harvested through photovoltaic techniques and thermal routes. Solar TE methods are one kind of thermal routes to generate electricity from solar energy using TEGs through the Seebeck effect. The first experimental results for STEGs were published in 1913. An asphalt layer was employed as a solar absorber and copper–constantan thermocouples as TEGs. Solar photovoltaic TE hybrid technology was proposed to utilize the entire solar spectrum to improve conversion efficiency.
