# Direct Solar/Thermal to Electrical Energy Conversion Technologies

- Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Department: Mechanical Engineering
- Teacher: Prof. Gang Chen
- Term: Fall 2009
- Level: Graduate
- Language: English
- Subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering
- Source: [MIT OpenCourseWare](https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/2-997-direct-solar-thermal-to-electrical-energy-conversion-technologies-fall-2009/)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only.)
- Syllabus: [at the source](https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/2-997-direct-solar-thermal-to-electrical-energy-conversion-technologies-fall-2009/pages/syllabus/)
- Readings: [at the source](https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/2-997-direct-solar-thermal-to-electrical-energy-conversion-technologies-fall-2009/pages/readings/)
- Who can watch: Tweens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

This course introduces principles and technologies for converting heat into electricity via solid-state devices. The first part of the course discusses thermoelectric energy conversion and thermoelectric materials, thermionic energy conversion, and photovoltaics. The second part of the course discusses solar thermal technologies. Various solar heat collection systems will be reviewed, followed by an introduction to the principles of solar thermophotovoltaics and solar thermoelectrics. Spectral control techniques, which are critical for solar thermal systems, will be discussed.

## Lectures

1. [Lecture 1: Introduction for Direct Solar/Thermal to Electrical Energy Conversion Technologies](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/mit/2-997-direct-solar-thermal-to-electrical-energy-conversion-technologies-fall-2009/0395736ec2a1) (Video)
2. [Lecture 2: Thermoelectric effect and thermoelectric devices](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/mit/2-997-direct-solar-thermal-to-electrical-energy-conversion-technologies-fall-2009/24d2ad505caa) (Video)
3. [Lecture 3: Energy states in matter](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/mit/2-997-direct-solar-thermal-to-electrical-energy-conversion-technologies-fall-2009/2cad6e1816c6) (Video)
4. [Lecture 4: Kinetic formulation of thermoelectricity](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/mit/2-997-direct-solar-thermal-to-electrical-energy-conversion-technologies-fall-2009/f873d190a3be) (Video)
5. [Lecture 5: Current research on thermoelectric materials](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/mit/2-997-direct-solar-thermal-to-electrical-energy-conversion-technologies-fall-2009/91b73f289880) (Video)
6. [Lecture 6: Thermionic power conversion](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/mit/2-997-direct-solar-thermal-to-electrical-energy-conversion-technologies-fall-2009/f36d4b61d87e) (Video)
7. [Lecture 7: Photovoltaic cells](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/mit/2-997-direct-solar-thermal-to-electrical-energy-conversion-technologies-fall-2009/d9ab2a9b863b) (Video)
8. [Lecture 8: Radiative heat transfer](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/mit/2-997-direct-solar-thermal-to-electrical-energy-conversion-technologies-fall-2009/d6f27865defc) (Video)
9. [Lecture 9: Solar concentration and solar thermal technology](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/mit/2-997-direct-solar-thermal-to-electrical-energy-conversion-technologies-fall-2009/9841f318c641) (Video)