Earth Flatulence Power (EFP) [RE-wrenches]

[Jeff Clearwater]

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Hi Michael,

I appreciate the balance of perspective and the "get real" voice, 
but I must say you are uniformed when you state: " has not panned out 
and does not show great promise to do so".

The present stirling companies are jockying for position to take a 
very proven technology into the mainstream.  STC and Sunpower both 
are negotiating agreements with Scandanavian heating manufacturers 
for incorporating Stilrings into heating systems for the new home 
market there.  The military chose stirling coolers for their ICBM 
chips  back in the mid -80s (which is why STC had the capital to 
develop the modern stirling) over all other cooling techniques for 
chips.

Stirlings haven't hit the mainstream market because it wasn't until 
the mid to late 80's that a few key breakthroughs in materials and 
spiral spring technology allowed companies to seriosly pursue 
development.  Taking a new technology from patent to production takes 
time.  I visited Sunpower and STC's factories in 1999-2000  and met 
with their business teams - this is very serious and proven 
technology that adds a fourth leg to the solar, wind, hydro offerings 
we have been able to offer - it adds the burning of biomass or waste 
gas - or concentrating solar to the mix in a way that will be very 
cost effective and adaptable.

I do agree that Jeff O. probably should do something more proven in 
the eyes of his customer  - but if he and/or his customer wants to be 
a pioneer customer in what in my mind is sure to be a very solid 
player in the near future RE market, then there are working 
prototypes out there that could be used.

Cheers,

Jeff C.



>
>
>Hi gang. Sorry to seem the wet rag. I am always a bit surprised to 
>hear faith being put into a technology that, so far, has not panned 
>out and does not show great promise to do so.
>
>The "modern" Stirling engine concept has been around for about 200 
>years (and older versions are said to predate the steam piston 
>engine). In that time, Stirling makers have come and gone, all with 
>no or very limited success. I love the idea of external combustion 
>engines for home scale energy production (gas microturbines seem 
>really cool too). I've been hearing of Stirling engines for the past 
>15 years, always hoping that something usable, trustworthy, and 
>affordable will come our way. Home Power readers continually ask 
>about them, and I continually warn them to hold onto their wallets.
>
>What's wrong with them? Not sure, but Stirlings seem to be saddled 
>with a very short MTBF, and being a high-tech item produced on a 
>small scale, parts and repairs can be costly ("Need a new piston? 
>Hold on, we need to fire up the lathe. Jim, hand me that billet of 
>aluminum."). Putting those two together sounds pretty darn expensive.
>
>Yup, there are a couple of companies out there that are making them, 
>and at least one apparently marketing them to the public. But, would 
>you sell your customers a technology that has not been successfully 
>tried by time? Based on past performance in their industry, would 
>you trust those companies to be around and making parts a few years 
>from now?
>
>Just like many other things in our industry (like $1 per watt retail 
>PV) Stirlings are fun to think about and, who knows, maybe some day 
>...
>
>Forget the gas well, and sell those folks some PV.
>
>
>------------------------
>        
>Michael Welch
>Submissions Coordinator
>Sr. Research Editor
>      Home Power magazine
>      www.homepower.com
>
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-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff Clearwater
Village Power Design
Sustainable Energy & Water Solutions for Home & Village
http://www.villagepower.com
gosolar at villagepower.com
NABCEP (tm) Certified Solar PV Installer

530-470-9166
877-SOLARVillage
877-765-2784
72 Baker Rd.
Shutesbury, MA 01072
425 Nimrod St.
Nevada City, CA 95959
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