132562International partnerships to accelerate the growth of the thermoelectric marketClosedFeasibility StudiesInnovate UKThe unexploited waste heat from industrial and conbustion processes that could be partially recovered and converted into electricity is measured in hundreds of millions of MWh/year. Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are ‘fuel-free’ solid-state semiconductor devices with no moving parts and therefore are extremely reliable. The TEGs can be used to convert thermal energy from ducts, chimneys, exhausts etc. which otherwise is wasted by generating an electric current when subjected to a temperature gradient. Thermoelectric Conversion Systems Ltd is the only company in the EU that specialises in the design and manufacture of power converters and control algorithms for use with TEGs. It is a completely UK-based high-tech SME and the project aims to accelerate the widespread adoption of a recent improvement (patented by the company) in the way energy is extracted from a TEG that yields up to 9% more power from the same device. To do this we plan to visit the major TEG manufacturers in Asia, USA and EU to demonstrate the benefits of this innovative idea, so accelerating exploitation and company growth.