Book excerpt: Low-Grade Heat Harvesting Harvest a vast untapped reservoir of energy with this essential resource The search for widely available, sustainable energy sources is arguably the defining challenge of the current era. Low-Grade Heat, a term referring to temperatures under 100 degrees Celsius, is an incredibly abundant form of energy in the natural world, but not one which existing sustainable technologies have been able to harvest efficiently and sustainably. The ubiquity of this energy, however, gives it huge potential to address the looming energy crisis. Low-Grade Heat Harvesting surveys existing technologies for utilizing low-grade heat and the related techniques for storing and converting low-grade heat energy. Beginning with the basic thermodynamic principles underlying low-grade heat, it proceeds to work systematically through the major categories of low-grade heat harvesting device, offering a comprehensive overview of the state of the field. Low-Grade Heat Harvesting readers will also find: A focus on emerging technologies Detailed discussion of thermoelectric devices for low-grade heat harvesting, liquid-based thermocells for heat-to-current conversion, and many more Authored by an acknowledged expert in energy storage and conversion Low-Grade Heat Harvesting is ideal for materials scientists, electrochemists, electronics engineers, and anyone else working to address energy needs.