Why a 19th-century invention is only now finding its place in the sun as a 21st-century energy source. Greg T. Spielberg | October 2010 issue The SunCatcher is an enormous solar dish made of mirrors and metal, but it’s best thought of as a giant silver flower. At thirty feet (11 … [Read more...] about Flower power (no, not that kind…)
Suncatcher
How the Stirling engine works
Greg T. Spielberg | October 2010 issue A Stirling engine uses internal gas that’s alternately heated and cooled to produce energy. Hydrogen, for instance, is sealed in a chamber connected to a series of pistons. When the hydrogen is heated, it expands, driving the pistons through … [Read more...] about How the Stirling engine works