Thanks for this. Interesting.
For heating using a fireplace, are you considering pipes in your fireplace?
Did not know they existed as standalone units. But I have seen the principle used in some older fireplaces with copper pipes embedded in the fireplace walls. However, I am looking at some new clean-burning, closed fireplace inserts. Had one fitted at home last year, and the increase in efficiency was remarkable. We went from maybe 10-15% to some 85%. That means from some 1/2 kWh/kg of firewood, to almost 4 kWh/kg. (Completely dry wood = 5,3 kWh/kg, with actual normal moisture <20% somewhere around 4,5 kWh/kg). Biggest problem with the open fireplace though, was that the flue/damper had to be left open when we went to bed to get rid of CO. Meaning that the net effect was probably negative on a cold night.One thing I have not seen, maybe I skipped it, is have you figured out how much power you are going to need? Because no matter how much power you need, you need to generate twice as much.
True. And at 60°N solar is rather limited in the winter. But for LED lights, phone-charging and radio, requirements will be minimal. For fridge (45W) or other appliances it would be a totally different story. Still, I suspect I shall have to rely on a portable power generator for power tools and topping the batteries. All heating/hot water will come from firewood. And don't forget the batteries.
This is a bit of a headache at the moment. Currently almost all off-grid solutions come with lead-acid (agm), thick plated batteries. But here I suspect things will change over the next couple of years. New types of batteries with clever controllers should dramatically improve lifespan and weight/efficiency ratio. With Wind and Water, they are basically maintenance free and last a life time if taken care of right.
I suppose you are right in theory, but in harsh climates moving parts are difficult. I have more faith in a solar system for now (but also because of distance to creek and strong turbulence around the building). I have used wind-turbines on sailing boats, and I was not impressed with output. To generate 50W, a pretty strong wind was needed.1400W sounds like a lot, but I know hair dryers that use that much power! LOL!
Yes, well, hairdryers are out of the question. Not a great concern 
ok