NOVELTY - The generator has a magnetic circuit being placed proximal to or in operable communication with heat source (20). The heat source and a heat sink (55) provide a thermal gradient with a hot side and a cold side, where temperature-dependent magnetic material, a structure for providing a non-linear restorative force, and piezoelectric material oscillate between a closed position and an open position and oscillations provide mechanical energy to the piezoelectric material resulting in conversion of mechanical energy to electrical energy during use.    USE - Magneto-thermoelectric generator for converting waste heat from photovoltaic cells into power for multi-modal energy harvesting applications e.g. thermal applications, vibrational applications, and photovoltaic scavenging applications, and for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) i.e. high altitude long endurance (HALE) air vehicles and a solar aircraft.    ADVANTAGE - The generator utilizes design optimization studies for the solar aircraft to indicate that small increases in photovoltaic efficiency can result in large weight savings in wing structure, propulsion, and energy storage and allowing potential increases in weight of the cells to achieve that efficiency gain resulting in overall improved system capability. The generator facilitates cell efficiency that does not decrease with temperature, and utilizes the cells that require structural support so weight penalty is minimized through multifunctional approach. The generator packages and installs the cells to achieve a desired temperature by tailoring convection on photovoltaic surface. The generator can exhibit increased efficiency of integrated photovoltaic magneto-thermoelectric hybrid (PV-MGT) through subsystem optimization of electromechanical conversion efficiency, thermo-mechanical efficiency, and hard and soft magnetic material properties. The generator can ensure optimal system performance of the coupled photovoltaic and generator harvesters with end goal of providing optimal thermal conditions to balance the power generated from the generator with loss in efficiency associated with heating of the photovoltaic junction.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for a method for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows an exploded perspective view of a magneto-thermoelectric generator.    Topside magnetic circuit (15)    Heat source (20)    Low density bridge (25)    Soft magnet (30)    Piezoelectric layer (35)    Heat sink (55)