Dr Kanatzidis argues that wherever heat is generated as part of power generation, thermoelectric devices could help extract more useful energy.

ECONOMIST: Thermoelectrics

Similarly, attaching thermoelectric devices to the flues of power plants could generate more useful power.

ECONOMIST: Thermoelectrics

This is a plutonium-driven device that produces power far more efficiently than the traditional Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) used hitherto on space missions, such as on Cassini.

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For example, in 2005, the power industry used 200 million gallons a day to generate electricity via thermoelectric systems.

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