The past few days have seen the Rossi E-Cat reported in both news and blogs, with still no definitive answer if the device actually works. The process of introducing the device to the market is stirring up lots of controversy.
So, how does one decide if the device is for real or not? Go to Bologna with money in hand and buy one. If you need heat production cheap that's a palatable answer. Chances are you will get what you paid for.
This does not stop the controversy. The story now is the controversy itself. Some, one Steven Krivits who is now out in front, are making claims that seem every bit as misleading as a fraudster's. That sort of personal choice is using an earned station to attract more attention. There should be a calculated risk in Krivits' position - that a proof of E-Cat failure would bring some appreciation, or that a success would bring derision. Without personal acquaintance with Krivits one cannot know the motivation. A certainty is Krivits opinion isn't better informed than anyone else, thus his opinion is worthless.
Al Fin, Bless 'em, said, "It is fascinating that so many people want to put themselves on record on either one side or the other, when the obvious rational thing for most people - most outsiders - to do is to wait for more information. Unless you have money or reputation on the line here, there is no need to declare a strong opinion one way or the other - if you have no inside knowledge."
The closely watching reporters are offering news that Mr. Rossi has sold more units. The buyer's names are also being kept quiet. Whether or not the sales have consummated is of little consequence, what matters are the E-Cats get installed, run and after a few months the customers are happy. Obviously customers are not looking for public relations expenses dealing with hounding questioners, they seek low cost heat. There will be plenty of time later to bask in leadership to a new energy economy. When the credibility threshold is mounted, a company will want to be there with an E-Cat system running.
There is also the prospect that some firms will buy an E-Cat both for the leadership opportunity as well as the energy savings. That sets up the prospect that the definitive proof won't come from Rossi or a proponent - we may hear of a firm whose E-Cat experience meets or exceeds that original specification. Perhaps that will accompany a new lower priced better product.
That kind of scenario isn't going to make world headlines. It will sell lots of E-Cats, which is the whole point. Customers will be a step closer to more cost competitive goods, and the competition will have to adapt.
All this simply puts facility managers, planners and designers on notice. What those folks need to get done is to get on the list at Rossi's firm and start the process of getting past the defensive wall there to be on the inside for the due diligence needed for assessing the risks and costs for buying an E-Cat for a plant. Heaven forbid a competitor getting one first, especially if the process heat an E-Cat makes is a major cost in production expense.
There is little prospect that there will be a major world headline one day that says "The Rossi E-Cat Works!"
But there is getting to be very high probabilities that one day soon we'll be able to buy stuff made with E-Cats providing the manufacturing energy.
The greatest interest is the one-megawatt E-Cat specifications. That would do more than anything to push the progress along. We'll need to know a lot more than making one megawatt, what the temps are, the state of the heat, the rates, required supplies, and all the other bits that make an informed decision.
That's what to look for. And your humble writer is very interested is seeing them.
By. Brian Westenhaus
Brian is the editor of the popular energy technology site New Energy and Fuel. The site’s mission is to inform, stimulate, amuse and abuse the… More
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