# Stirling Engines - webcentive

Source: https://www.webcentive.com/stirlingengine/stirlingengine.html  
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Stirling engines turn any outside heat source, such as sunlight, a wood fire, waste heat or even a nuclear reactor, into motion or electricity, quietly and with few moving parts. NASA's Kilopower reactor used Stirling converters in its 2018 KRUSTY ground test; Sandia tested solar dish Stirling systems that set solar-to-grid efficiency records. For off-grid homes, small Stirling generators and Stirling micro-CHP boilers exist but are expensive and specialized, so compare them with solar, wind and generators first. Makers and shops below are commercial.  

More on webcentive: [solar](https://www.webcentive.com/shopsolar/shopsolar.html) | [wind power](https://www.webcentive.com/shopwindpower/) | [generators](https://www.webcentive.com/shopgenerators/shopgenerators.html) | [batteries](https://www.webcentive.com/shopbatteries/shopbatteries.html) | [selfsustenance](https://www.webcentive.com/selfsustenance/) | [environment/solar](https://www.webcentive.com/environment_links.html) | [telescope](https://www.webcentive.com/shoptelescopes/)  

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Links last checked Oct 18, 2026.  

- **History: NASA, DOE and the Kilopower reactor**
- [energy.gov](https://www.energy.gov/ne/space-and-defense-power-systems) - DOE Office of Nuclear Energy: space and defense power systems
- [nasa.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/tech-demo-missions-program/kilopower-hmqzw/) - NASA Kilopower: fission reactor with Stirling converters, tested as KRUSTY in 2018
- [nasa.gov (fission surface power)](https://www.nasa.gov/exploration-systems-development-mission-directorate/fission-surface-power/) - NASA fission surface power, the Kilopower follow-on
- [nasa.gov (KRUSTY)](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/demonstration-proves-nuclear-fission-system-can-provide-space-exploration-power/) - NASA: KRUSTY demonstration proves fission power with Stirling engines
- [ntrs.nasa.gov](https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20180007389/downloads/20180007389.pdf) - NASA technical report: KRUSTY test results and lessons learned (PDF)
- [science.nasa.gov](https://science.nasa.gov/planetary-science/programs/radioisotope-power-systems/) - NASA radioisotope power systems, including Stirling generator research
- **Solar dish Stirling**
- [energy.sandia.gov](https://energy.sandia.gov/programs/renewable-energy/concentrating-solar-thermal-technologies/) - Sandia concentrating solar thermal technologies
- [newsreleases.sandia.gov](https://newsreleases.sandia.gov/new-suncatcher-power-system-unveiled-at-national-solar-thermal-test-facility-july-7-2009/) - Sandia: SunCatcher solar dish Stirling unveiled (2009)
- [redrok.com](https://www.redrok.com/) - Red Rock Energy heliostats (on the old page)
- [sandia.gov](https://www.sandia.gov/research/facilities/national-solar-thermal-test-facility-nsttf/) - Sandia National Solar Thermal Test Facility, home of dish Stirling testing
- [solarpaces.org](https://www.solarpaces.org/) - SolarPACES international concentrating solar research
- **Stirling engine makers (commercial)**
- [airpot.com](https://www.airpot.com/) - Airpot precision pistons and dashpots (on the old page)
- [bdrthermeagroup.com](https://www.bdrthermeagroup.com/) - BDR Thermea, maker of the Baxi Ecogen Stirling boiler (baxigroup.com on the old page)
- [energysolutionscenter.org](https://www.energysolutionscenter.org/) - Energy Solutions Center: natural gas CHP (on the old page)
- [microgen-engine.com](https://www.microgen-engine.com/) - Microgen: free-piston Stirling engines for micro-CHP
- [qnergy.com](https://qnergy.com/) - Qnergy: Stirling generators for remote off-grid power
- [stirlingcryogenics.com](https://stirlingcryogenics.com/) - Stirling Cryogenics: Stirling cryocoolers
- [stirlingultracold.com](https://www.stirlingultracold.com/) - Stirling Ultracold: Stirling-cycle lab freezers
- [sunpowerinc.com](https://www.sunpowerinc.com/) - Sunpower Inc.: free-piston Stirling engines, maker of the KRUSTY converters (not sunpower.com)
- **Model engines, kits and toys (commercial)**
- [amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=stirling+engine&tag=webcentive) - Amazon: Stirling engine models and kits
- [deutsches-museum-shop.com](https://www.deutsches-museum-shop.com/) - Deutsches Museum shop (on the old page)
- [ministeam.com](https://www.ministeam.com/) - MiniSteam model engines (on the old page)
- [stirlingengine.co.uk](https://stirlingengine.co.uk/) - Kontax Stirling engine models (on the old page)
- [thamesandkosmos.com](https://thamesandkosmos.com/) - Thames & Kosmos science kits (on the old page)
- **Learn about Stirling engines**
- [modelengines.info](https://www.modelengines.info/) - ModelEngines.info (on the old page)
- [stirlingengines.org.uk](https://www.stirlingengines.org.uk/) - Stirling engines and hot air engines history
- [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_engine) - Wikipedia: Stirling engine

Number of links: 27  
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