+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
-                   ZTnews
+   A ZT Services Publication on Thermoelectricity
-             "All Z News, All Z Time"
+       Made possible by contributions from:
-   International Thermoelectric Society, http://www.its.org/
+   BSST/Amerigon, http://www.bsst.com/
-   EIC Solutions, Inc., http://www.eicsolutionsinc.com
+   FerroTec, http://www.ferrotec.com/products/thermal/
-   Global Thermoelectrics, http://www.globalte.com
+   Hi-Z, http://www.hi-z.com/
-   Marlow Industries, http://www.marlow.com/
+   Marvel, http://www.marvelte.com/
-   Melcor, http://www.lairdtech.com/
+   Peltech, http://www.peltech.com/
-   TE Technology, http://www.tetech.com/
+   Tellurex, http://www.tellurex.com/
-   Thermion, http://www.thermion-company.com/
+
-        Check them out at http://www.zts.com/
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
-        ZTnews for 20080503 (That's May 3, 2008)
+             Cronin B. Vining, Listmaster
-  ZTnews is an aperiodic publication on thermoelectrics.
+   Lately more aperiodic than usual, if that's possible
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+


+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
CONTENTS
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
NEWS:
     +- Presentation on Thermoelectrics at Al Gore's Solutions Summit
        http://www.zts.com/limitedrole

UPCOMING EVENTS UPDATES:  (+-+-  = New Info., Full list below.)

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
NEWS:
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
     +- Presentation on Thermoelectrics at Al Gore's Solutions Summit
        http://www.zts.com/limitedrole

The following presentation and manuscript (links below) were prepared at 
the request of the Office of Honorable Al Gore & Mrs. Tipper Gore for 
presentation at a 'Solutions Summit' panel on ‘Nanotechnology and New 
Materials’ held May 1, 2008 in New York City.

The roundtable was chaired by the former Vice President as part of a 
broader discussion about solutions for the climate crisis.  He believes, 
and do I, we have only a limited time to solve this planetary emergency. 
  The discussions themselves were off the record but Mr. Gore is 
preparing a new solutions-oriented book.  I have opted to make my own 
contribution public.  It was a rare privilege for me to participate.

Many people in the thermoelectric community graciously contributed ideas 
and graphics for this effort.  Where I have included citations, please 
respect the original authors intellectual property rights.  Also keep in 
mind that those cited need not (and many do not) share my opinions or 
conclusions on the subject.  But as Robert Park might say, they should.

I am distributing these materials that they may stimulate some 
discussion and I welcome comments.  Brief comments can be posted online at

	http://www.zts.com/limitedrole

More elaborate responses are also welcome and I will make space 
available on my website for any reasonable comments.  As always, you can 
reach me through http://www.zts.com/contact


The Limited Role for Thermoelectrics in the Climate Crisis
Publication Type	Unpublished
Year of Publication	2008
Author	  		Cronin B. Vining

Abstract	  	

The climate crisis presents unique and largely
unprecedented social, economic, political and technical
challenges. The technical challenges, though enormous, may
prove the most tractable of all. Among the technical
challenges is the development of energy technologies with
much reduced environmental impact This note provides an
overview of thermoelectric technology, a solid state ‘heat
engine’ capable of converting heat to electricity or
alternatively converting electricity into cooling. Such an
overview is timely because thermoelectric technology has
made significant scientific progress in recent years and its
potential to reduce the environmental impact of electrical
power generation has been discussed. While the science,
technology and business of thermoelectrics has never been
stronger than today, the opportunity for a material impact on
the climate crisis appears limited. Only a single application,
recovery of vehicle waste heat, appears plausible in this
respect. And even that application faces stiff barriers.

Attachments
http://www.zts.com/system/files/20080501-Summit-Vining-final_0.pdf 
[2.63 MB]	
http://www.zts.com/system/files/20080501-Summit-Vining_0.ppt [11.02 MB]


+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
UPCOMING EVENTS ( +-+- = New or Updated Information)
COMPLETE LIST:
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
     +- E-MRS 2008 Spring Meeting: Unconv. Thermoelectrics
        From: 2008-05-26 Through: 2008-05-30
        Location: Congress Center - Strasbourg, France
        Contact: Anke WEIDENKAFF anke.weidenkaff [at] empa [dot] ch
                 Ph: +41 44 823 4131, FAX: +41 44 823 4034
        Abstract Due Date: January 16, 2008
        Higher Fees May Apply After: April 17, 2008
        Web:
http://www.emrs-strasbourg.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=232
        Info Last Updated: 2007-10-23

     +- Complex and nanostructured materials for energy applications
        From 2008-06-22 Through 2008-06-26
        Location: Kellogg Center, Michigan State University
        East Lansing, MI  US
        Contact Name: Phil Duxbury, duxbury [at] pa [dot] msu [dot] edu
        http://www.pa.msu.edu/cmp/CND/ConferenceSummer2008.html

     +- ECT2008, European Conference on Thermoelectrics
        From: 2008-07-02 Through: 2008-07-04
        Location: Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris
        (ENSCP), 11, rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
        Contact: Prof. Claude Godart, Institut de Chimie et Matériaux
        Paris-Est (ICMPE) Thiais, France ect2008 [at] icmpe [dot] cnrs [dot] fr
        Ph: +33 1 49 78 12 47, FAX: +33 1 49 78 12 03
        Abstract Due Date: March 15, 2008
        Higher Fees May Apply After: May 30, 2008
        Website: http://ect2008.its.org/
        Info Last Updated: 2008-02-28

     +- ICT2008, Corvalis, Oregon USA
        From: 2008-08-03 Through: 2008-08-07
        Location: LaSells Stewart Conference - Corvallis, Oregon, USA
        Contact: David Johnson davej [at] uoregon [dot] edu
             Ph: +1 (541) 346-4612, FAX: +1 (541) 346-3422
        Abstract Due Date: (closed)
        Higher Fees May Apply After: May 1, 2008
        Website: http://ict2008.its.org
        Info Last Updated: 2008-03-31

     +- MS&T’08 Conference and Exhibition: Thermoelectric Materials
        From: 2008-10-05 Through: 2008-10-09
        Location: David L. Lawrence Convention Center
          - Pittsburg, PA, USA
        Contact: Qiang Li qiangli [at] bnl [dot] gov
             Ph: +1 631 344 4490, FAX: +1 631 344 4071
        Abstract Due Date: March 17, 2008
        Higher Fees May Apply After:
        Website: http://www.matscitech.org/2008/techProg-Energy.html
        Info Last Updated: 2008-02-28

     +- ITS2009 & ETS2009
        From: 2009-07-26 Through: 2009-07-30
        Location: - Freiburg, Germany
        Contact: Dr. Harald Böttner harald.boettner [at] ipm [dot] fraunhofer [dot] de
                 Ph: 0049/761/8857-121, FAX: 0049/761/8857-224
        Abstract Due Date:
        Higher Fees May Apply After:
        Website: TBD
        Info Last Updated: 2007-10-22


-- 
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
That's all for today.  Let me know if I forgot anything!

        - Cronin