A new breed of structures called skutterudites could finally tap the floods of energy our machines waste as heat
Thermodynamics will always take its pound of flesh. Its laws ultimately dictate that more than half of the energy we use in cars, dishwashers, factories and elsewhere is lost as waste heat (see also "Wonder stuff: Electron freeway for cool gadgets"). That's just an average: for car engines, the proportion is more like two-thirds.
Reclaim even a small amount of that lost heat as electricity, and that would massively boost energy efficiency. Thermoelectric materials allow us to do just that, by coaxing a current from a temperature difference. Wrap a thermoelectric substance around your car's exhaust, and its waste heat could power the electrics. Incorporate thermoelectric elements into a refrigerator, and heat extracted from its interior could power it. Add them to solar panels and ...
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