The performance of Stirling engines meets the demands of the efficient use of energy and environmental security and therefore they are the subject of much current interest. Hence, the development and investigation of Stirling engine have come to the attention of many scientific institutes and commercial companies. The Stirling engine is both practically and theoretically a significant device, its practical virtue is simple, reliable and safe which was recognized for a full century following its invention by Robert Stirling in 1816. The engine operates on a closed thermodynamic cycle, which is reversible. The objective of this report is to provide fundamental information and present a detailed review of the Stirling cycle engine. Stirling engine concept is attached to the solar and the implementations are reported .Different types of stirling engines, their working, advantages and disadvantages are presented.

A Stirling cycle machine is a device, which operates on a closed regenerative thermodynamic cycle, with cyclic compression and expansion of the working fluid at different temperature levels. The flow is controlled by volume changes so that there is a net conversion of heat to work or vice versa. The Stirling engines are frequently called by other names, including hot-air or hot-gas engines.

Stirling engine is a heat engine operating by cyclic compression and expansion of air or other gas, the working fluid, at different temperature levels such that there is a net conversion of heat energy to mechanical work. The stirling engine is associated with solar power to generate electrical energy since solar power is abundant source of energy.