Expanding on my previous post, I believe in the spirit of this project it should be steam power only. Batteries were around as early as the 1800s but not in the form i'd be using. Anyways, for the boiler being built, I found a good generator. 

Here's the specs:

You can just do things. In this spirit, I am attempting to chronicle building a steam powered Ethereum node, API and website.

Interesting choice to stick with steam power for your project! It's a classic and reliable option. Can't wait to see how the generator performs with the boiler. Keep us updated on your progress!