Tapping the Heat: A Canadian Innovation Aims to Turn Industrial Waste Energy into Power

Written by: Juan David Rodriguez

Edited by: Iris Bisson

Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as eternally self-sustaining energy; however, we can reduce energy usage by recycling wasted energy. Just like the rest of the world, Canada is facing increasing energy demands. In a world increasingly driven by AI and data, massive amounts of thermal energy from data centers, industrial furnaces, and vehicle engines are simply lost to the atmosphere (PyroDelta Energy, 2025). As climate change compels us to find cleaner energy solutions, capturing this abundant waste heat is becoming a national imperative.

A Canadian-led project is now pioneering a breakthrough. First Tellurium Corp, through its subsidiary PyroDelta Energy, is developing a thermoelectric generator (TEG) designed to capture the high-temperature waste and convert it directly into usable electricity (First Tellurium Corp., 2024). This new tellurium-based device marks a significant leap forward in thermoelectric technology. Industry tests have shown that the PyroDelta generator can operate while withstanding temperatures of about 900 degrees Celsius without any material melting or exploding (First Tellurium Corp, 2025b). This is a revolutionary development, as conventional thermoelectric modules typically fail at temperatures of around 150 degrees Celsius and above (First Tellurium Corp, 2025b).

The core of this innovation is a proprietary manufacturing method called "Capillary Casting" (First Tellurium Corp., 2025d). According to PyroDelta's Head Engineer, Michael Abdelmaseh, this casting process is the company's key competitive advantage, allowing them to create robust, durable generators that can hold up under the extreme conditions found in industrial and automotive applications (First Tellurium Corp, 2025d).

The benefits of this high-temperature technology are far reaching, particularly in our modern economy's most energy-intensive sectors. One of the most intriguing applications is for AI and cryptocurrency data centers (PyroDelta Energy, 2025). Indeed, these facilities consume huge volumes of energy and generate enormous amounts of heat, often requiring very complex liquid cooling systems to function (PyroDelta Energy, 2025). PyroDelta has engineered a "tubular" (pipe-shaped) generator that integrates into these cooling systems. Liquid heated by the servers flows through the thermoelectric pipe, and the device converts the heat differential into clean electricity, helping to supplement the facility's power and reduce its strain on the energy grid (PyroDelta Energy, 2025).

To prove the technology's real-world viability, PyroDelta has also successfully tested an automotive version. The company announced the successful completion of a 1,300-kilometer road test for its innovative generator, designed to replace the standard vehicle alternator. Traditionally, an alternator converts mechanical energy from the engine into electrical energy to power systems such as the radio, lights, and other onboard electronics. The new generator performed reliably throughout the extended test, demonstrating an ability to endure long distances operation and high-temperature conditions. This successful trial provides strong evidence that the generator can serve as a viable and durable alternative to conventional alternators under real-world stressful conditions (First Tellurium Corp, 2025c). In this system, waste heat from the engine's hot coolant is captured and converted into electricity to charge the battery and power all the car's electrical components (First Tellurium Corp, 2025c). The company has released performance data indicating that a temperature difference of 50 degrees Celsius can generate approximately 400 W (watts) of electricity (First Tellurium Corp., 2025a). To put things in perspective, 400 W of power is equivalent to running a medium-sized appliance like a furnace fan (often around 400W) or a slow cooker (around 101-500W).

However, bringing this ambitious project from prototype to the mass market comes with many challenges. While PyroDelta has reported successful prototype testing, the company must still scale its "Capillary Casting" process to meet industrial demand and safety regulations (First Tellurium Corp, 2025d). Like all new technologies, it takes time to convince established industries, from automakers to data center operators, to transition to this new hardware (First Tellurium Corp, 2025d).

Despite these challenges, PyroDelta's innovation is exciting news for Canada's clean energy sector. This technology is not only a step toward a more efficient industrial process – it has the potential to serve as a model for waste heat recovery across many industrial sectors. As technology advances, and energy-intensive processes are becoming critical, effectively managing energy is critical to a sustainable future. By learning to tap into the high-temperature heat we currently discard, this Canadian project is paving the way for a future where energy efficiency and industrial growth can go hand in hand.

References

First Tellurium Corp. (2024, October 9). First Tellurium Provides Further Information about the PyroDelta Thermoelectric Generator. The Newswire.

https://thenewswire.com/press-releases/1BNMFOgv2-first-tellurium-provides-further-information-about-the-pyrodelta-thermoelectric-generator.html

First Tellurium Corp. (2025a, May 15). First Tellurium Provides New Information on Power Output of PyroDelta Thermoelectric Radiator/Generator. https://firsttellurium.com/first-tellurium-provides-new-information-on-power-output-of-pyrodelta-thermoelectric-radiator-generator/

First Tellurium Corp. (2025b, January 16). First Tellurium's PyroDelta Thermoelectric Generator Shows Ability to Withstand Unprecedented Temperature Extremes. https://firsttellurium.com/first-telluriums-pyrodelta-thermoelectric-generator-shows-ability-to-withstand-unprecedented-temperature-extremes/

First Tellurium Corp. (2025c, April 30). PyroDelta and First Tellurium Report Successful Road Test of Thermoelectric Radiator/Generator. https://firsttellurium.com/pyrodelta-and-first-tellurium-report-successful-road-test-of-thermoelectric-radiator-generator/

First Tellurium Corp. (2025d, October 1). Unique Manufacturing Process Puts First Tellurium and PyroDelta Ahead inThermoelectric Technology. The Newswire. https://www.thenewswire.com/press-releases/1A0vFeXEd-unique-manufacturing-process-puts-first-tellurium-and-pyrodelta-ahead-in-thermoelectric-technology.html

PyroDelta Energy. (2025, March 26). PyroDelta Ready to Test Prototype Thermoelectric Generator for AI Data Centers. https://pyrodelta.com/pyrodelta-ready-to-test-prototype-thermoelectric-generator-for-ai-data-centers/