Article in the Discover Magazine for August

[zalishah]

Idealab people are working on a solar device using a stirling engine
which they designed them selves using a special software. They claim
that the engine cost them a hundred dollars and is half as efficient
as the phillips engine but considering that the sunlight is free it
serves the perpose. They are working towards producing electricity at
the cost of one dollar to a watt. It sounds to me an interesting
development with a high potential. Any comments on this development
would be most appriciated.

[stan.hornbaker]

Very exciting if it meets the reality test.
Their web site at: http://idealab.dis.unimelb.edu.au/SimplicityArticle.html
makes no mention of the Stirling engine. Such an article would have a lead time of one to three months. The latest information relates to July.

[stan.hornbaker]

You can read the entire aritcle online! Go to Select back issues. Go to bottom of page, Contents of August 2003 issue. Select "Catch the Fire."

This is a faily long article about Bill Gross of "Knowledge Adventure" fame and he and his team at Idealab in their quest for power. He has his feet on the ground and does his home work. If anyone can come up with a practical and economical "Solar-Stirling-Generator" hs is the one likely to do so.Unfortunately it may take a few years to get funding and productio up and running.

At $250 a pop for 250 Watts isn't too bad. $1,000/KW Output!

This is the first practical proposal for a production engine to appear viable on a manufacturing and cost basis.

[chris.stratford]

it is interesting to compare this with the omachron effort. They both seem to be taking the "cost is more important than efficiency" tack, which I think is the correct one in dealing with solar power or "free" fuel applications.
there arent any details on the construction method. Omachron is planning on using welded stainless stampings, and I think that Kamen is planning on using castings, I wonder what idealabs is using.

[stan.hornbaker]

It appears that the Idealab Solar Stirling CHP was traded off to a High Tenp. Photovoltaic concept. Bill Gorss has been the subject of lawsuits over misuse of funds.

When and IF a real system materializes, at a reasonable cost/kw I'll be one of the first to congratulate the originator.

Murphy's Law seem to follow closely on the heels of grand announcement and proposals for a viable stirling engine for mass use.