Electrocaloric cooling technology has advanced with the discovery of the giant electrocaloric effect

employing the entropy change during the poling and de-poling processes to enable operation of the refrigeration cycle. Electrocaloric refrigeration involves solid-state working bodies

without any greenhouse gas; thus

it is believed to be environmentally benign. The solid-state phase transition in the working bodies is directly induced by electricity

without any secondary energy transition

whereby a high energy efficiency and structural simplicity are achieved. These advantages enable provision of thermal management for micro-systems. After more than a decade of development

a large electrocaloric effect has been observed in many material systems such as ferroelectric ceramics

single crystals

polymers

and dielectric fluids. Several technical advances have been made in electrocaloric thermodynamic cycles and cooling device prototypes. This review article introduces the development status and the latest progress in electrocaloric refrigeration technology from three standpoints: the thermodynamic principle of the electrocaloric effect

the electrocaloric material

and the development and simulation of electrocaloric refrigeration devices. This article also discusses the opportunities and challenges faced in the field of electrocaloric refrigeration technology. The state-of-the-art electrocaloric refrigeration comprises an adiabatic temperature change of the material of 40–50 K

an irreversible loss of the working body of less than 10%

a theoretical thermodynamic perfection of 40%–60%

and a temperature span of the prototype of 14 K. Future advances in the field depend on the synergic development in the phase transition theory in condensed matter

the synthesis of new materials

material integration processes

a mass and heat transfer across the solid-state interfaces

and solid-state thermodynamic theory. Only when the above key development is achieved can one realize the possible advantages of electrocaloric refrigeration in micro-cooling systems

which may eventually provide solutions to aid on-chip cooling

battery thermal management

and many other technological aspects that require highly efficient

light-weighted

compact

and point-of-care thermal management.