iirc panasonic had one generator. small scale internal combustion engines are popular because power to weight ratio allows the same design to be used in other equipment and it has near instantaneous power regulation.
Sadly finding a Philips MP1002C Stirling engine generator is almost impossible. Not to mention that they are loud and only output around 200w, which is nothing compared to a Honda 2200i.
A stand alone generator need not be mobile, so it needn't be that light weight. In fact it probably would benefit being integrated with a home's heating and cooling system to utilize waste heat.
What it does need to do is be relatively maintenance free, and run off a variety of heat sources (such as pellets, woodgas or solar thermal). This is where I think Stirling engines shine...you can gasify all of your waste organic matter into dirty gas that wouldn't normally be fit for an internal combustion engine, but work fine for a swirl burner which can be used on an external combustion engine such as steam or stirling.
A stand alone generator need not be mobile, so it needn't be that light weight. In fact it probably would benefit being integrated with a home's heating and cooling system to utilize waste heat.
What it does need to do is be relatively maintenance free, and run off a variety of heat sources (such as pellets, woodgas or solar thermal). This is where I think Stirling engines shine...you can gasify all of your waste organic matter into dirty gas that wouldn't normally be fit for an internal combustion engine, but work fine for a swirl burner which can be used on an external combustion engine such as steam or stirling.