Someone has got to do this.
 

Thermoelectric generator awesomeness. Now, with a big enough drop in load from aggressive use of LEDs, maybe someone can grab a few of those HT peltiers offa ehay and string together a system that'll provide an average of ~100W all the time for ~$100. When I get the cash this is definitely something I'd go for, since it'll allow me to run my AC comp where the alternator used to be... Increased mileage from no electrical draw, AC, and the same simple belt system. If you do nothing but stop and go, probably not for you, but for those of us who cruise at ~40+mph it could be a nice upgrade. :thumbup:

I have to wonder if a couple of HP is going to make a difference in a 300+ hp engine.

I would think so. After all, the trucks not using all 300+ hp all the time, so as an average it's probably something like a .5-1% increase in efficiency. It'd be way higher for passenger cars as Metro has shown, but heavy trucks would be a good test bed since a generator is just one more thing to go wrong, and compared to engine power, the amount of electricity needed isn't too much.

Use the cat as a heat source? A new generation of energy producing converters :D

Precisely, since cat operating temps have to be in excess of 250C, just weld a flat plate on the bottom of the exhaust, or just wrap them around it. So, figure maybe ~60-100C for the cool side, and we have ~150-200C difference, which could give us ~7-12W per module, assuming the $12 ones off of ehay behave like the ones on truck above.
https://www.hi-z.com/14pwr.gif

So, would this be using a Peltier TEC in reverse to induce current, or is this another device that is similar?

Pretty much. A similar Peltier used for cooling is rated at ~85-140W, so I figure the HT series with the same size could put out a tenth of that if used for power generation over the same temperature range.

see also:
https://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?p=27687
https://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=2644

oh shiz, can't believe I missed that. DP! :(

np. It just shows this is a popular idea. In fact, reclaiming the energy lost to heat is probably *the* holy grail of human energy management, especially in cars.