A thermal-to-electrical energy conversion method, comprising: (a) subjecting a field-responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332) to at least one of an external electrical and external magnetic field to induce a first temperature change in the field-responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332), wherein said field-responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332) has an electrically insulating barrier which insulates said field-responsive material from electrical conduction; (b) creating a second temperature change in at least one thermal to electrical energy conversion component (14; 104a...n, 106a...n) in thermal contact with the field-responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332), wherein a first conductive layer is stacked on the at least one thermal to electrical conversion component (14; 104a...n, 106a...n), said field-responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332) is stacked on the first conductive layer and a second conductive layer is stacked on the field responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332); and wherein the second temperature change in the at least one thermal to electrical energy conversion component (14; 104a...n, 106a...n) is based on the first temperature change in the field-responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332); (c) creating electrical energy in the at least one thermal to electrical energy conversion component (14; 104a...n, 106a...n) based upon the second temperature change experienced by the thermal to electrical energy conversion component (14; 104a...n, 106a...n) and outputting the electrical energy created; (d) removing the field from the field-responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332) to allow the field- responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332) and the at least one thermal to electrical energy conversion component (14; 104a...n, 106a...n) to approach thermal equilibrium; (e) repeating steps (a)-(d) to repeatedly create and output electrical energy. (a) subjecting a field-responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332) to at least one of an external electrical and external magnetic field to induce a first temperature change in the field-responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332), wherein said field-responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332) has an electrically insulating barrier which insulates said field-responsive material from electrical conduction; (b) creating a second temperature change in at least one thermal to electrical energy conversion component (14; 104a...n, 106a...n) in thermal contact with the field-responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332), wherein a first conductive layer is stacked on the at least one thermal to electrical conversion component (14; 104a...n, 106a...n), said field-responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332) is stacked on the first conductive layer and a second conductive layer is stacked on the field responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332); and wherein the second temperature change in the at least one thermal to electrical energy conversion component (14; 104a...n, 106a...n) is based on the first temperature change in the field-responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332); (c) creating electrical energy in the at least one thermal to electrical energy conversion component (14; 104a...n, 106a...n) based upon the second temperature change experienced by the thermal to electrical energy conversion component (14; 104a...n, 106a...n) and outputting the electrical energy created; (d) removing the field from the field-responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332) to allow the field- responsive material (20, 110, 316, 332) and the at least one thermal to electrical energy conversion component (14; 104a...n, 106a...n) to approach thermal equilibrium; (e) repeating steps (a)-(d) to repeatedly create and output electrical energy.