If you’re evaluating energy harvesting technologies, you may want to check out this thermoelectric power generator kit from Nextreme. Nextreme wants to make it as easy as possible to get you started with its Seebeck effect-based thin-film embedded thermoelectric generator. (The Seebeck effect is present in two different metals or semiconductors where a thermal difference produces a voltage across the two.)

The evaluation kit provides a thick-film heater as a controllable heat source, Nextreme’s eTEG UPF40 power generator module, a heat sink/fan assembly, and thermocouples for temperature measurement. All you need to provide is a power supply for the heater and a volt meter to measure the voltage generated by the eTEG across a load resistor.  The kit costs $295.

Nextreme claims the eTEG produces output power levels of >90mW at ΔT of 70°C and >260mW at ΔT of 120°C.   With modules measuring just 1.6mm x 3.2mm, the eTEG has corresponding output power densities of about 5W/cm2 at 120°C.