Hmmm, that's interesting. The Sterling engine has been around forever, it's interesting that technology has finally caught up with it and made it feasible in the early 21st century. Certainly, the era for the internal combustine engine (ICE) is drawing to a close. One way or another, there are going to be serious competitors to the ICE in coming decades, be it a Sterling engine or a fuel cell engine or an advanced electric engine.
Technology is making great strides now in the field of alternative energy, at the same time as the end of the oil era is starting to appear on the horizon. I know people will say that we still have 50 years worth of proven oil reserves. But, so what? Once oil consumption matches production, the price will remain high and rise thereafter, and we might be reaching that point in the next decade (perhaps sooner if demand picks up in developing countries). This will herald the end of the oil era as we know it, even if we still have oil in reserve for another 5 decades, because the high price of petrol will make things like the Sterling/fuel cell/electric engine all cost competitive and they'll suddenly start competing with the old ICE for market share. Eventually, as the 21st century progresses, the ICE will be replaced by other technologies. Interesting times we live in. |
