The first person who observed the Thermoelectric Effect was Thomas Seebeck.
Thermoelectric Effect: The thermoelectric effect involves the process by which heat is transformed into electrical energy such that if the cycle is thermodynamically reversible known to be the Seebeck effect achieved in thermoelectric generation systems.
The presence of Joule heating and thermal conduction holds that the efficiency of real thermoelectric systems is always less than that of the Carnot.
The thermoelectric effect allows converting waste heat into electric power.