The good ol' Stirling engine was tried out -- at a few locations in the US Southwest 10 years back -- to generate megawatts of solar-powered electricity (25kW per engine) at the focus of parabolic mirrors.

It got beat out by subsidized Chinese-produced PV panels (SES was forced into bankruptcy).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applications_of_the_Stirling_e...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Signal_Solar

My senior year project ten years ago was exactly this - solar thermal + a Stirling engine. When we started the project, we estimated it 20% or so cheaper than solar PV. In that one year solar prices halved or so, leaving us at a dead end.

I ended up consulting with leather plant for their hot water needs via solar thermal. At least that is still viable.

Interesting. I just learned about that energy combo, and Stirling also makes a lot of sense for someone with a non-solar heat source!

Amazing how China came along at the time it did. The hardball politics aimed against US solar startups since Carter has been a fascinating tale with little mainstream coverage.

I'd argue that a steam setup is considerably easier and more proven, but a Stirling engine is certainly safer and more efficient.

(A homemade setup would not be very efficient regardless of technology chosen, so I'm ignoring complexities of elaborate high-performance boilers.)