Spent most of my life as a electronic design engineer. Switched to 3d
animation about 8 years ago, in business as well. But hold a life long
interest in science, engineering, nanotechnology and energy (solar,
wind, space ).

I got interested in hydroxy about six months ago, absorbed a lot to
come up to speed. Intended to install a system in my car but the
problem there is small since I only fill the tank every 60 to 90 days.
Yeah, weird but I work at home :-) But then wind and sterling engines
caught my interest and that seemed to be a solution to a real problem
since I hate paying for electricity while all that sunshine goes to
waste.

Stirling engines are really cool. The problem is you can make a toy or
you can buy a 25kwatt unit but there is nothing in between and no
plans available to build anything over 100 watts. I understand why. It
is almost impossible to build these things. It's like building a car
engine from scratch. Mills, CNC machines, castings, precision custom
parts, welding, and the experience of a machinist. A few guys have
built machines but they had all those tools and exerience. I basically
decided I would never be able to build a significant unit (500 watt)
on my own. I was going to buy a $45 weed wacker and use the cylinder
as the power piston of a beta stirling. Would have been lucky to get
10 watts out of it.

Then I tuned into thermoacoustic engines and that is my present goal.
At least to see if I can understand them. The difference between them
and a stirling is the lack of moving parts. I figure I can build
something if it is just a set of pipes, plates, bolts, and drilled
holes. We shall see. But the idea that you could build a 30 pound
device that had a linear power generator (the only moving part) on one
end and heat one end and out comes electricity, is very attractive.

The high tech end of the scale has guys getting patents on devices
that can handle 750 watts in a package the size of a brief case. I
can't build the high tech end, but I think anyone could build the
middle tech level of these devices. Lower efficiency but easy to
build. We shall see. Will take a while.