THERMO - ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION USING SOLAR AS AN ALTERNATIVE GREEN TECHNOLOGY

N recent years, an increasing concern of environmental issues of emissions, in particular global warming and the limitations of energy resources has resulted in extensive research into novel technologies of generating electrical power. Thermoelectric power generators have em erged as a promising alternative green technology due to their distinct advantages. Their typical efficiencies are around 5 - 8%. Older Seebeck - based devices used bimetallic junctions and were bulky while more recent devices use semiconductor p - n junctions m ade from bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3), lead telluride (PbTe), calcium manganese oxide, or combinations thereof, depending on temperature. These are solid state devices and unlike dynamos have no moving parts, with the occasional exception of a fan or pump. I n this paper the recent patents of solar thermo - electric power generation with their important and relevant applications to solar energy as a backup protection &storage of power will be reviewed and discussed. It is proposed to develop thermo electric powe r generator which use solar energy as a alternative green source to develop power.