A system for converting heat energy into electricity includes a conversion cell comprising a pair of spaced-apart electrodes having an electrolyte therebetween. The electrolyte is selected to pass negatively-charged hydrogen ions and to inhibit the passage of atomic hydrogen and positive hydrogen ions. Inducing a flow of hydrogen through the cell, a current may be generated between the electrodes as electrons are gained by the hydrogen as it enters the cell and lost by the hydrogen as it leaves the cell. In the preferred embodiment, hydrogen flow is induced by reacting the hydrogen leaving the cell with lithium or sodium to form the metal hydride. The metal hydride is then thermally decomposed to release the hydrogen and the molten metal to be recycled to the cell. In this way, the thermal energy used to decompose the metal hydride is converted into electrical energy by passing the hydrogen through the conversion cell.
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