Refrigerators and air conditioners that operate on vapor compression technology have a fundamental flaw. They are inefficient, rely on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, and are not easily downsizable. However, researchers have developed solid-state alternatives to vapor compression that can overcome these issues. One such alternative is the electrocaloric effect, which relies on solid materials that change temperature under an electric field. A team of researchers has demonstrated the most successful electrocaloric component to date, using a ceramic multilayer capacitor. This regenerative heat exchanger has a difference in temperature that is over 50% greater than previous electrocaloric materials. The technology is scalable, but further developments are needed, including finding alternative materials and improving thermal conductivity.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/solid-state-refrigerator