Thermoelectric materials for space and automotive power generation

Historically, thermoelectric technology has only occupied niche areas, such as the radioisotope thermoelectric generators for NASA's spacecrafts, where the low cooling coefficient of performance (COP) and energy-conversion efficiency are outweighed by the application requirements. Recent materials advances and an increasing awareness of energy and environmental conservation issues have rekindled prospects for automotive and other applications of thermoelectric materials. This article reviews thermoelectric energy-conversion technology for radioisotope space power systems and several proposed applications of thermoelectric waste-heat recovery devices in the automotive industry.