Thermal, solar, or hydro power project?

You know how theres the electricity thing where you connect a potato to a light bulb. os there something like that, that i8 could do, but about hydro, soloar, or thermal energy. Do you think that if I got a clear glass vase set it in the sun until it was hot and I can see steam, then use that connecter thingy to connect a light bulb to the steam(y vase)

Solar might be easy, get a solar cell and connect it to an LED.

For thermal, you might be able to buy a toy steam engine with a generator

http://scientificsonline.com/category.asp?c=424553&sid=google&cm_mmc=google-_-cpc-_-edmu-_-steamenginemodel&bhcd2=1211306248

but most modern plants use turbines rather than pistons.

http://jensensteamengines.com/turbine.htm

has a turbine *and* generator.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_make_a_model_hydroelectric_plant

addresses hydro. Hydro is much like steam turbine, except water moves the blades instead of steam.