Several days ago a yearlong test of Andri Rossi’s controversial e-cat fusion reactor concluded. Rossi, an Italian engineer is a leader in the field of Lower Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR). The field was spawned by attempts to replicate Fleischmann and Pons 1989 report of Cold Fusion. The term LENR is preferred as a subset of researchers working in the field believe that any reaction may involve the weak nuclear force meaning that while the reaction might generate heat it does not — technically — qualify as cold fusion. Claims of fraud and experimental error have plagued the field.
Rossi claims to have invented an electrically catalyzed cold fusion reaction and to have perfected it at a mass producible level. Several investment funds have shown interest and arranged for a real world test of the device. The investors located a company with an industrial process requiring 1 megawatt of heat and currently using an electrical process to generate that heat. The venture capitalists then had Rossi and his engineers build an e-cat plant capable of generating 1-mw of heat inside a shipping container and moved it on site. A third part verification firm monitored the electricity and materials going into the box and the heat coming out of it for a year.
The firm where the device was tested has, reportedly, indicated a desire to continue using it after the conclusion of the test. Third parties who visited the site reported the device apparently functioning and the host company observing a marked decrease in the amount of electricity used.
Tests concluded on February 17. The initial rumors indicate that the test was successful and that the e-cat generated an output of one megawatt of heat while consuming inputs of between twelve and fifteen kilowatts of electricity. A report by the independent verification firm is expected next month. Given the history of LENR claims, it may be best to wait for the report before drawing any conclusions.
Production of the e-cat for industrial use is expected to begin in China in either Q4 or Q1 of 2017. Industrial Heat, the company marketing the device, has reported approximately three billion dollars of pre-orders.