This paper describes a solar heat pipe thermoelectric generator (SHP-TEG) unit comprising an evacuated double-skin glass tube, a finned heat pipe and a TEG module. The system takes the advantage of heat pipe to convert the absorbed solar irradiation to a high heat flux to meet the TEG operating requirement. An analytical model of the SHP-TEG unit is presented for the condition of constant solar irradiation, which may lead to different performance characteristics and optimal design parameters compared with the condition of constant temperature difference usually dealt with in other studies. The analytical model presents the complex influence of basic parameters such as solar irradiation, cooling water temperature, thermoelement length and cross-section area and number of thermoelements, etc. on the maximum power output and conversion efficiency of the SHP-TEG. Simulation based on the analytical model has been carried out to study the performance and design optimization of the SHP-TEG. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.