NEW GENERATOR CONVERTS HEAT & SOLAR TO ELECTRICITY. Through a process known as thermionic conversion, heat energy—such as light from the sun or heat from burned fossil fuels—can be converted into electricity with very high efficiency. Because of its promise, researchers have been trying for more than half a century to develop a practical thermionic generator, with little luck. That luck may soon change, thanks to a new design—dubbed a thermoelectronic generator.
