Waste heat recovery
Globally, about two thirds of our primary energy usage is lost as waste heat. Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) have the capability of converting this heat into useful electrical energy. Whilst the efficiency of TEGs is currently limited, they are versatile and have no moving parts. Therefore, a great deal of research effort is dedicated to the development of newer and more efficient TEG materials.
Cooling without refrigrants
In a warming world the need for cooling technologies such as air conditioning is projected to increase dramatically. Traditional compression-cycle refrigerators often contain refrigerant gases that themselves have very high global warming potential. Thermoelectric coolers (TECs) have no moving parts and use no refrigerant gases. Like their generation counterparts, much effort is still needed to increase their energy efficiency. As their performance increases with innovation, they may gain a larger share of the global market.
Thermoelectric Future 