LG Innotek, an electronics component maker owned by the LG Group, announced on June 12 that it has developed innovative thermoelectric semiconductor products that can reduce the running noise of household appliances, Yonhap reported, and significantly reduce the size of home appliances. For cars and ships, it can improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. It is understood that thermoelectric semiconductors use the peltiereeffect (peltiereeffect) , on one end of the cold, hot semiconductor components supply power, and use Seebeck effect (Seebeck effect) to generate current through the temperature difference. LG Innotek has built a dedicated thermoelectric semiconductor production line in Gumi, South Korea, which is due to begin production in the first half of 2019. The products are made of nanopolycrystalline materials and have a wider range of applications. LG Innotek claims that, in the case of home appliances, thermoelectric semiconductors can reduce the noise of refrigerators and water purifiers and reduce the size of appliances by up to 40 per cent. In cars and ships, thermoelectric semiconductors convert waste heat into electricity, reducing fuel consumption and emissions. For cars, 1,600 cc diesel can run 18 km on a litre of fuel, and 19.8 km on a litre of thermoelectric semiconductors, according to LG Innotek. For ships, it can help ship International Maritime Organization achieve the new IMO air pollution regulations.