Solar Thermo Electric Generator (STEG)

In this video the upcoming, the upcoming technology of Solar Thermo Electric Generators (STEG) has been explored. Unlike PV panels, STEG uses heat instead of light for generating electricity.

The heat can be gathered from a metallic collector on which sunlight is concentrated.
STEG can be coupled with Solar Hot Water systems to provide both heat energy and electricity. New generation of STEG materials have improved the efficiency of STEG modules from 5% to 15%.

[tanjavier]

This gives me an idea that the device can be employed at reservoirs of water where the day sun heats one surface and the cooler water on the other surface thus forming a difference in temperature. This coupled with the heating surface being a solar panel as well will be able to function as dual energy convertors

[sb]

I did this for my undergraduate physics project in 1979. The ROI period worked out at 100's or 1000's of years, but the cost of Peltier modules has since dropped a lot.

[davidsvarrer]

Dear SYnergy Files, thanks for your sharing and your time spent on this valuable information. You mentioned various practical things about the heat absorber, concentrating sun on the STEG element. Can you give some guidelines as to how we can make the best use of it? We are thinking about cooling the back side with water, and putting concentrated sun on the front.

[JSabh]

These are great for their wide range of fuels that may be used. Also, NO BATTERIES needed! Store the heat in oil, insulated of course, and when you need it, pump the hot oil into the system. You could even start it by a valve with no other power sources required. Efficiency is important but so is utility. FYI, the batteries are the most expensive and replaced first in any system that is using them.

[alhandleit]

Sounds like this would couple synergistically with a Rocket Mass Stove that incorporates a water heating unit. The Electrically insulated material could be the cob (mass) which is also thermally conductive and the mass gives off high radiant heat for days after only a 1-3 hour burn (twigs, pinecones, junk mail). The RMS also burns very clean because of the catalytic nature of thermosiphoning. I wish I had plans to build (or knew where to buy) a STEG unit as you show on this video. I'd love to give this a shot and see if I can make it productive. Thanks for the video.

[davidhe]

Would coupling a PV with an active cooling system be more efficient? Using water as a coolant could cool the PV cells down and provide us with warm water directly. Less conversions of forms of energy

[XaxtonRevolution]

How much does the technology weigh per square inch compared to its photovoltaic counterpart?

[daveful]

It sounds like it has potential, but seeing is believing!

[qzorn]

nice info.. Where are the thermoelectric/thermocouple panels about the size of home solar-panels? Big money talks. I guess this stuff get's the back set? 😎 Thanks.

[roanevergreen]

Would this work on a car engine to generate enough hydrogen to make a difference in efficiency?

[XaxtonRevolution]

Do you have a Kickstarter? also do you intend to sell portable units?

[paoloregalado]

How are the thermoelectric and solar are connected?

[Soothsayer]

i thought the info. provided about STEG was very minimal. I hope you could come out with a more detailed. video at later stage.

[XaxtonRevolution]

At 4:27 are you sure you meant to say vacuum chamber? A vacuum chamber is a chamber with no air in it. Isn’t the greenhouse effect impossible without gases to trap the heat?

[XaxtonRevolution]

Can these vacuum sealed modules be used as replacements for the photovoltaic cells in Power over Fiber systems?

[bjl]

does steg degrade over time like PV collectors? This may be another advantage.

[alchoudhury]

fantastic presentation. wandering what kind of software you have used for animation.

[kidnamedfinger]

Would it be better if we paint it in vantablack?

[TofuInc]

What about taking a TEG and sandwiching it in a PVT panel? It could produce electricity using the heat from the panel and cooling the back side with water generating hot water in the process. Since there would be a high delta, I would thing it would be more efficient. If you added a controller and temp sensors, it would be possible to run the TEG as a TEC producing higher temp water extending the amount of hot water that could be produced in cooler climates. Or using the TEC to keep the panel at an optimum temperature to extend life and increase production. Very little energy would be wasted because it would be transferred to the water for heating. Just an idea that went through my head as I watched this.

[indigo]

Just use fresnel lenses instead. And on the other end magnetic refrigeration to further cool the circuit. Simple.