Is it possible to convert thermal energy directly to electrical energy, instead of using turbines and kinetic energy as an intermediate step?

Name: Putting energy to use
Uploaded: 2014-12-08T20:24:59Z
Description: Society has been revolutionized by our ability to convert energy into different, more useful forms. As fossil fuels become harder to find, scientists look for new energy sources to power our lives.

Yes, for example with the thermoelectric effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_effect or there's pyroelectricity, which is a current produced in a crystal when it changes temperature: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyroelectricity

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Putting energy to use

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Society has been revolutionized by our ability to convert energy into different, more useful forms. As fossil fuels become harder to find, scientists look for new energy sources to power our lives.

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James Hulce
Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to James Hulce's post “Is it possible to convert...”
Is it possible to convert thermal energy directly to electrical energy, instead of using turbines and kinetic energy as an intermediate step?
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(10 votes)
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- Josh (SpongeJr)
  Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Josh (SpongeJr)'s post “Yes, for example with the...”
  Yes, for example with the thermoelectric effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_effect
  
  or there's pyroelectricity, which is a current produced in a crystal when it changes temperature: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyroelectricity
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  (6 votes)
Parisa
Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Parisa's post “At 2:07, what does the pi...”
At
2:07
, what does the picture show?
is it a solar panel?
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(1 vote)
Answer
- *spoiledmilk*
  Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to *spoiledmilk*'s post “Yes that is a Concentrate...”
  Yes that is a Concentrated solar power system, "that generates solar power by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight onto a receiver." - Wikipedia
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  (1 vote)

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Putting energy to use

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