US 11,723,274 B2
Solar thermoelectric power generation system, and process for making same
Ming Liang Shiao, Collegeville, PA (US); Gregory F. Jacobs, Oreland, PA (US); and Joseph Charles Gombarick, Jr., Phoenixville, PA (US)
Assigned to CertainTeed LLC, Malvern, PA (US)
Filed by certainteed corporation, Malvern, PA (US)
Filed on Mar. 6, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/811,205.
Application 16/811,205 is a division of application No. 15/861,447, filed on Jan. 3, 2018, abandoned.
Application 15/861,447 is a continuation of application No. 12/885,757, filed on Sep. 20, 2010, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2020/0321504 A1, Oct. 8, 2020
Int. Cl. H01L 35/00 (2006.01); H10N 10/13 (2023.01)
CPC H10N 10/13 (2023.02) [Y10T 29/49355 (2015.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of generating electrical power using a roofing system comprising
a roof-surfacing material comprising a roofing shingle having a headlap zone and an exposure zone, wherein the exposure zone includes
at least one solar heat reflective area having a bituminous substrate covered with solar heat reflective roofing granules embedded therein, and
at least one solar heat absorptive area having a bituminous substrate covered with solar heat absorptive roofing granules embedded therein so as to form a temperature difference between the at least one solar heat reflective area and the at least one solar heat absorptive area of the roof-surfacing material when the at least one solar heat reflective area and the at least one solar heat absorptive area are exposed to solar radiation, wherein said at least one solar heat reflective area has a first solar heat reflectivity, wherein said at least one solar heat absorptive area has a second solar heat reflectivity, and wherein the difference between the first solar heat reflectivity and the second solar heat reflectivity is at least ten percent; and
a plurality of thermoelectric power generating elements connected in series to provide a predefined output voltage, each of the thermoelectric power generating elements having a first junction in thermal contact with at least one of the solar heat reflective areas and having a second junction in thermal contact with at least one of the solar heat absorptive areas,
the method comprising exposing the at least one solar heat absorptive area and the at least one solar heat reflective area to solar radiation so as to form a temperature difference between the at least one solar heat reflective area and the at least one solar heat absorptive area; and generating electrical power using the series-connected plurality of thermoelectric power generating elements in response to the temperature difference between the at least one solar heat reflective area and the at least one solar heat absorptive area.