TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Device: The solar thermal electric generator further comprises an electrical current carrying element electrically coupled to the thermoelectric generating material. The thermoelectric generating material is selected from Bismuth Telluride, Lead telluride, inorganic clathrates, magnesium group IV compounds, silicides, skutterudite materials, homologous oxide compounds, half heusler alloys, and silicon-germanium alloys, The heat receiving element does not contact the top encasing. At least an internal portion of the bottom encasing has a reflective coating. The top and bottom encasings are made of heat resistant glass. The heat sink portion is completely contained within the enclosure. The cavity in the bottom encasing is configured to conform to a shape of the heat sink portion so that the heat sink portion fits tightly within the cavity. The heat sink portion is at least partially exposed outside the enclosure and the thermoelectric generating material makes thermal contact with the heat sink portion. Heat sink portion includes heat sinks projecting away from the heat receiving surface. The bottom encasing includes cavities, each cavity receiving one of the heat sinks and conforming to a shape of the received heat sink to provide for a tight fit between the received heat sink and the cavity. The vacuum is generated by a gettering type vacuum pump. Heat receiving element is at least partially coated with a heat absorption material. Heat absorption material comprises niobium. It is selected from titanium, zirconium, hafnium, scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, barium, vanadium, tantalum and thorium. The heat receiving element is formed from a conductive material selected from copper, iron, steel and aluminum. It is thermally coupled to a heat exchanging device. The thermoelectric generating material is thermally coupled to the heat exchanging device. The heat receiving element is hollow. Hollow heat receiving element contains a conductivity enhancing material. The conductivity enhancing material is selected from a gas, liquid, polymer, graphene and thermoplastic plasma. Hollow portions of the hollow heat receiving element are in contact with the vacuum. The heat receiving element is coated with a material to achieve a desired color. The material is niobium. The heat receiving element is formed of a material to achieve a desired color. The solar thermal electric generator is installed in a sun-facing facade of a structure, where the sun-facing encasing is at least partially tinted to achieve a desired color. Preferred Method: Making evacuated solar thermal electric generator further comprises coating at least an internal portion of the bottom encasing with a reflective coating; at least partially coating the heat receiving element with a heat absorption material; and coupling the solar thermal conductive device to a heat exchanging device.