Applications
Since 1977 Voyager 1 has been transmitting details of our solar system and beyond from the power of a thermoelectric generator and about 4.5 kg of Plutonium 238. The radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) is projected to continue powering the Voyager's sensors and transmitters through 2025 where it will have travelled more than 4 times the distance between the Sun and Pluto. Where electric current is the only moving component, RTG's continue to be a preferred power source for deep space probes.
Advances in semi-conductor technology will make thermoelectric components far more common in the future. Major automotive manufacturers continue to develop solutions for converting waste heat to electric power generation by means of TEG's. It is hoped that the role of the alternator in automotive power production will be greatly diminished, if not completely eliminated.
A number of consumer products have recently emerged that employ TEG's and Peltier coolers to great effect. The camp stove featured below uses a TEG to both power personal electronics as well as drive a combustion fan to achieve cleaner combustion.