Thermoelectricity based on novel materials: effective and environmentally safety method of direct energy conversion

Thermoelectric energy conversion, solid-state refrigeration and metrology of thermal processes can provide a weighty contribution to a decision of the problem of utilization of renewed energy sources, a recycling of a low potential heat, the reliable control over thermal losses, and maintenance of storage of a foodstuff. The modern thermoelectric energy conversion is applied in the industry, in the power engineering and in the refrigerating technics at capacities from microwatt to hundreds watt. Perspective (with application of nanotechnology) scopes of the thermoelectric generating of the electric power and solid-state cooling are analyzed in the present paper.