This book describes the basics of the Stirling engine, as well as some of the most promising alternative models, how to go about building them and how they can be used to generate power for home use. Home power generation is not new. You can buy home generator kits and solar panels by the ton. The main problem is they cost so much. The Stirling is astonishingly easy to make and can be built from scrap or commonly found components at a fraction of the cost of a home solar kit and yet produce the same power. There are several on going attempts on the net at the moment to do just that - have a look at Tim Sefton's Volo design project (Kickstarter funded by the way). But if you are like me - a true do it yourselfer - Then you want to give it a go completely by yourself. If that is so then this book is the one for you. The idea here is to familiarize you with the basics give you some designs to run with and hopefully encourage you to make and use you own engine as a way of 'getting off the grid.'