The Stirling dish technology converts thermal energy to electricity by using a mirror array to focus the sun's rays on the receiver end of a Stirling engine. The internal side of the receiver then heats hydrogen gas which expands. The pressure created by the expanding gas drives a piston, crank shaft, and drive shaft assembly much like those found in internal combustion engines but without igniting the gas. The drive shaft turns a small electricity generator. The entire energy conversion process takes place within a canister the size of an oil barrel. The
process requires no water and the engine is emission-free.
Great topic, Mark. I'm all for alternative sources of energy as long they work and are effecient to the end user. But what I don't understand is how the energy gets from the generating plant to the customers home/ commercial business.
