Patent ID: 7638705

Claim:
A thermoelectric generator comprising: a first thermally conductive plate; a second thermally conductive plate, wherein the first and second thermally conductive plates are spaced apart wherein the second thermally conductive plate provides thermal coupling to a temperature stable thermal mass; a plurality of pairs of P-type and N-type thermoelectric elements wherein the P-type and N-type thermoelectric elements of each pair are electrically coupled in series, and wherein the P-type and N-type thermoelectric elements of each pair are thermally coupled in parallel between the first and second thermally conductive plates; and a transparent cover spaced apart from the first thermally conductive plate, wherein the first thermally conductive plate is between the transparent cover and the plurality of pairs of P-type and N-type thermoelectric elements, wherein a space between the transparent cover and the first thermally conductive plate provides thermal isolation for the first thermally conductive plate, wherein the transparent cover is transparent with respect to solar radiation, and wherein the transparent cover is transparent with respect to heat radiated from the first thermally conductive plate; wherein the first thermally conductive plate is configured generate heat responsive to solar radiation received through the transparent cover during daylight operation so that heat flows from the first thermally conductive plate to the second thermally conductive plate to thereby generate a first electric current according to the Seebeck effect, and wherein the first thermally conductive plate is configured to radiate heat through the transparent cover during nighttime operation so that heat flows from the second thermally conductive plate to the first thermally conductive plate to thereby generate a second electric current according to the Seebeck effect wherein the second electric current is reversed relative to the first electric current.