Use of Stirling Engines today and the possibilities for the future:
newenergydirection.com
- Large scale power projects
- cryocoolers
- small working models
- power applications in space
- waste heat recovery
- possibilities in micro cogeneration in rural areas and decentralized powergrids
- Cryo coolers
internationalrivers.org
Stirling Energy Systems, Inc. in Peoria, Arizona has developed the their SunCatcher system which is a 25kW stirling engine which utilizes solar energy as its power source. The currently do not sale individual systems, they scale their projects from 25MW to 1000MW which makes it impractical for the average person to use on a small scale, but it has possibilities in the future for powering and heating a home.
Challenges to overcome:
- High costs
- scaling for use by individuals
- good sealing of the working gas
- gaining acceptance as a viable engine
http://www.heatxfer.com/products/stirlingengines.html