A liquid crystal display device includes a backlight unit having a lamp, wherein the lamp includes opposing ends and electrodes at respective ones of the opposing ends; at least one thermoelectric device operably proximate to the lamp; and a liquid crystal (LC) panel over the backlight unit. Each thermoelectric device includes a hot junction disposed near the lamp; a cold junction spaced apart from the hot junction and disposed farther from the lamp than the hot junction; two different thermoelectric materials between the hot and cold junctions, wherein the two different thermoelectric materials are spaced from each other and wherein opposing ends of each of the different thermoelectric materials contact the hot and cold junctions; and first and second wires connected to respective ones of the two different thermoelectric materials.