Andrea Rossi has stated that he is close to being able to generate electricity with his “hot” e-cat low energy nuclear reaction (LENR) device. That means the cold fusion device would be able to heat water to a temperature to make steam to run a turbine that would generate electricity.

“We are close to the production of electric power.” Rossi noted in a response to a question on October 14. Four days earlier on October 10, Rossi stated that he and his associates will be able to generate electricity with the hot ecat in 2013. Rossi has demonstrated a regular ecat that generates temperatures of up to 300 degrees Celsius on several occasions. The hot ecat would generate temperatures of up to 1400 degrees Celsius which would more than enough heat to generate steam.

Rossi has been working with a turbine provided by the German technology firm Siemens. The turbine would be turned with steam generated by the hot ecat. Rossi’s remarks indicate that he should be able to begin the tests next year. Rossi also noted that a hot ecat capable of generating one megawatt of heat should be available next year.

If Rossi can get an ecat capable of generating electricity going he will have achieved the holy grail of LENR. A device that can generate large amounts of electricity without creating radiation, contributing to greenhouse gases which contribute to global warming or burning fossil fuels. That device would be a game changer on a global scale. Among other things it could end global warming and greatly reduce the cost of electricity.

As we know Rossi has not been able to demonstrate that the ecat can generate the high temperatures necessary to create steam for electricity. Last month a group of Swedish investors withdrew a large investment in Hydro Fusion the Northern European ecat licensee because its tests showed hot ecat could not sustain those temperatures.

Work on a Steam Turbine

There may also be a conflict brewing between Rossi and the open sourced LENR effort the Martin Fleischmann Memorial Project. The project is using the name New Fire for LENR which Rossi has apparently copyrighted as one of the names for ecat. The Fleischmann Project is attempting to disseminate Francesco Celani’s nickel hydrogen LENR device the Celani Cell. Rossi has labeled Celani a competitor in the past. Rossi noted that he has no legal way to stop the Fleischmann project from using the term “New Fire.”

Rossi’s Journal of Nuclear Physics website has also apparently been the target of another hacker attack. Rossi noted that many pages in the website had disappeared. Rossi apparently doesn’t know who was behind the attack.

Rossi isn’t the only person who claims to have created an LENR device capable of generating temperatures high enough to generate steam for electric production. Robert Godes of Brillouin has claimed that his hot tube LENR device could be used to replace fossil fuel burning steam turbines in power plants in the near future.

There are many potential uses for steam turbines driven by the hot ecat or a similar device besides power plants. Such turbines would be ideal for powering ships. They could also be used to power steam locomotives on the railroads and a wide variety of heavy equipment including giant mining machines. Not to mention providing electricity for data centers and other infrastructure. Another potential use is a steam powered car or truck.

It looks like we could have a major new method of generating electricity that won’t contribute to global warming or air pollution as early as next year. If that happens it’ll be a real green technology and a game changer on a global level.