Present (Thermoelectric) Markets

Current thermoelectric uses include generating power for cathodic protection and remote management communications for oil and gas pipelines, self-powered space heaters for the US Army, generators for navigational aids and telecommunications facilities, solid-state air conditioning for cooling electronic enclosures and environmental cabinets, and solid-state coolers for lasers and electro-optics. Typically, the barriers to commercial acceptance and to broader use for such products are cost and efficiency, thus relegating their use to niche circumstances where other factors such as geographical isolation dominate the purchasing decision.

Given its price and performance advantages, MicroPower expects its technology not only to enhance or replace traditional products over time, but also to expand the market for such products well beyond their present niches. The goal is to become the "de facto" standard, the conversion technology of choice.

Consumer Market

The consumer market is by far the largest market segment, making up 35% of the total existing market. This includes products that are primarily focused on cooling, such as water coolers, cooler boxes, refrigerators and so forth. This market is expecting steady growth over the coming years, particularly in the area of speciality water coolers and cooler boxes.

Although this segment still uses older thermoelectric technology, known as "Peltier modules", consumers perceive these products as "state-of-the-art" technology so companies are trying to introduce them into more and more products. This market segment has the potential to grow at an accelerated rate using MicroPower technology as a key driver to lower costs and expand cooling capabilities.

Electronic Devices

Thermoelectric coolers are being miniaturized to help cool the heat problems associated with high density packaging. Under these conditions, material performance is important as well as interfacial materials with higher thermal conductivity.

Some electronic equipment intended for military use in the field is thermoelectrically cooled, while astronomical telescopes and high-end digital cameras are often cooled with thermoelectric devices to eliminate pixel noise which can cause speckled images. Peltier modules with a heat sink or waterblock are also used to regulate the temperature of computer components to maintain performance, removing the need for a noisy fan.

Thermoelectric Generators

Currently, the market for thermoelectric generators (TEGs) is very small compared to thermoelectric converters (TECs).

The market is divided into that of tiny remote power sources and that of waste heat recovery. For the former, there are certain applications in remote areas, such as navigational aids, data collection, and corrosion protection for gas pipelines and marine structures. Also, by utilizing solar heat from the sun-oriented side of spacecraft, thermoelectric devices can be used to generate electrical power for use by other thermoelectric devices in dark areas of the space craft and to dissipate heat from the vehicle.

For the waste heat recovery applications, TEGs have not yet satisfied the required performance both as a material and as a system. MicroPower hopes to change that situation.