> Sometimes I wonder if anyone has tried to use some of the heat
 > from a wood heater to power a small steam engine for additional power 
 > 
 > and.. whether the investment in time and money of such a system
 > is competitive with just trying to buy solar capacity, which is
Day,
 Even in our rural past, you didn't see home-sized steam generating plants 
because they're complicated, expensive, and a burden to operate. You DID see 
gas-engine systems, the "Delco Light Plant" being a common fixture on many 
farms in the 30s.
Not much has changed since then. :-(
If you want a supplement to your solar-electric system, I'd suggest looking 
at wind power. Seems like it's usually windy during the worst periods for 
solar power.
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