It is a fact that as the world learns to wean itself off the heavy consumption of oil and petrol, there must be alternative sources of energy to keep the cogs of the economy moving, which is why advancements in the field of solar and other “green” technology has always generated excitement. University of Minnesota engineering researchers in the College of Science and Engineering might be on to something new here, having recently discovered a new alloy material which is capable of converting heat directly into electricity. This is a revolutionary energy conversion method that is currently in its infancy, but should it be developed further and refined, it might end up with a wide-sweeping impact on creating environmentally friendly electricity from waste heat sources.
According to the researchers, such material might be used to capture waste heat from a vehicle’s exhaust, where it would then heat said material so that electricity is produced – the same electricity that can then be used to juice up the vehicle’s battery (especially when it is a hybrid car). This is one research that will “heat” up the green power scene, no?
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