Hot Idea For Cool Applications

Electric heaters operate by using conductors that have resistance to the flow of electricity. They are quite efficient at producing heat. However, the opposite is not the case, at least with current technology. Thermocouples are a very inefficient device that directly converts heat into an electric current. If efficient thermocouple type devices could be developed, the possibilities would be endless: converting the waste heat from air conditioners and refrigerators into electricity to help power the appliances. Rather than solar panels, have heat collecting panels mounted on the outsides of buildings to keep them cooler and give power to the buildings. Convert the waste heat from coal and nuclear power plants to produce additional electricity. The hot desert regions of the world could produce huge amounts of electric energy. With no moving parts, the thermo-electric devices could last a long time with minimum maintenance.