Oh my! Power out for six months - yup it makes people buy generators of their own!

Also, you are right : it was an adaptation of tehrmocouple what I was thinking of! I only knew that it is a small box you can place on a stove, and it then generaters electricity for charging batteries etc. I just assumed that it has a tiny stirling engine inside, but your comment inspired me to read a bit more about it. Turns out it is called TEG or ThermoElectric Generator. There are ready-made commercial products for sale, with a reasonable price. And it seems like a device one could build with just a basic skills.

It also seems that there is a company aiming at producing a low-cost stirling generator, which runs by burning wood or propane: http://volodesigns-sterlingproject.blogspot.fi/

When I was younger, I was mostly interested in learning primitive and traditional skills, and working with simple tools. But since I'm anyway combining a traditional house with some electricity and internet connection, it makes me think about other DIY / sustainable / local alternatives.

Ah, and one more clarification: I guess that with a 1500 W generator you would be pretty much self sufficient even if a power out of six month hits again. And in a no way is a TEG an alternative for a big generator. For my own house I've been thinking about having the electrical system in different "layers". All the vital systems (water, heating, cooking, lights) operating on minimal electricity, so that I could power them with solar panels + a TEG. And a second layer (which can be built later on) for running a computer, a fridge etc. And a third layer for pre-heating the car engine in the winter, and such stuff which is more energy consuming. That third layer could be just connected to the grid, or alternatively powered by a fuel burning generator, I don't know yet =)