Nuclear power was supposed to be the answer to the world’s need for energy in the 20^th century. The construction of nuclear power plants starting in the 1950s continues to this day, especially in underdeveloped countries. Nuclear power provides vast sources of energy, and, when properly handled, little danger.

However, nuclear fission, when not properly produced or handled, is one of the most destructive forces on earth. In the U.S., the only nuclear incident involving a power plant was Three Mile Island, and it produced no damage because the fail-safe measures worked. However, because of the fears that the fail-safe may not work next time, and because of the chances that radioactive waste may not be handled ethically and safely, the U.S. stopped building nuclear power plants, throwing them back into the hands of fossil fuels.

Other nations have, however, continued building nuclear power plants. Chernobyl, of course, is the poster child for “I told you so” for failure of fail-safe systems. In Somalia, allegations are that neighboring countries are using nuclear fission for power, and dumping the radioactive waste in the rivers of Somalia. And, of course, the recent tragedy of Fukushima has served to remind all that even well regulated, perfectly safe nuclear power plants can be breached, creating a world-wide catastrophe.

But, is all nuclear power deadly? Nuclear fission, in which atoms are split apart to create energy, creates radioactive waste. In a controlled fission, the exothermic reaction also creates huge levels of energy. As  the atoms are split, they produce neutrons that release more energy from more atoms. When this release is not controlled, and explosion occurs, as with the atomic bombs, Chernobyl, and Fukushima.

However, with nuclear fusion, the game is changed. In this reaction, two nuclei are joined. If, when the nuclei are joined, the end product is lighter weight than the original ingredients, energy is released. This is the case with cold fusion. Low Energy Nuclear Reaction, or LENR, combines high energy nuclei to produce low energy products, releasing the excess as energy in a nuclear reaction.

The problem has been that, with nuclear fusion, the process typically has not been as easily controlled as that of nuclear fission. Rather than resulting in a “melt down”, it simply means that the release of power is halted. While with nuclear fission the challenge is to keep the energy release from going out of control, the challenge with nuclear fusion is to keep the energy release sustained.

One form of LENR technology is the E-Cat, and its inventor Andrea Rossi, says he has been able to accomplish this feat. His fuel sources are nickel and hydrogen. When the two fuse, they create copper, which is lighter in weight than nickel. This results in a release of energy that is translated as heat. The only “waste” is heat, which is energy, and copper, which is useful.  Rossi has, evidently, discovered a way to keep this reaction going, and will be placing his own nuclear reactor for cold fusion on the market next year.

According to his information, the fuel cells for his home power unit should last for at least 30 days. Some sources say that they will cost about $30 USD. If so, this could be the clean energy source the world has awaited.

There has been a lot of furor over synthetic fuels for the last few years. Synthetic fuel, according to How Stuff Works, is any kind of fuel that is made from natural gas, coal, or from chemically converted “biomass feedstocks”. Synthetic fuels, or synfuels, are also referred to as Fischer-Tropsch liquids because of the process that produces them.

Even though these synfuels can be synthesized from otherwise waste or unused materials, the chemical process is very complicated. In addition, the synfuels burn much cleaner than fossil fuels. However, the production of the synfuels creates more pollution than the traditional use of gasoline. Since the infrastructure is not in place for producing synfuels, they remain more expensive to produce, as well.

Andrea Rossi had actually mastered the art of converting waste materials into synthetic fuel, and owned power plants in Italy that did exactly that. He had the necessary qualifications to transport and store toxic waste, and convert it to clean energy. However, political pressures in that country stripped him of his business, and the ensuing power grab left him broke and fighting for his freedom.

In response, Rossi used his own family money to continue looking for alternative fuels. In his research, he studied cold fusion, and has developed his own cold fusion device called the E-Cat.

Apparently, the E-Cat device is much less expensive to produce than any kind of synthetic fuel to date. The materials are easily transported, without even a toxic material present. Hydrogen and nickel, along with a little palladium, probably, are the main materials necessary for the cold fusion device. This is a long way from the millions of cubic feet of toxic waste he transported and processed in the past.

In addition, the E-Cat produces no off-gasses, and no waste. The only waste will be the small fuel  canister that will be recycled once the fuel is depleted.

With the power to provide energy for an entire house indefinitely, an E-Cat unit may be adaptable even to motor vehicles. This promises to be a marked improvement over both fossil fuels and synfuels.

About 30 years ago, there was a big push in this region toward solar power. The government gave big rebates to people who would agree to install solar panels on their roof. After all, in West Texas, we certainly have plenty of sunshine! Our winters last about 6 weeks, and temperatures soar to 110 for weeks at a time. There are very few trees that grow naturally – in fact, it’s kind of a joke around here that only rich people have trees. You have to buy them, plant them, and then keep them watered – which is increasingly expensive.

But, back to the solar panels. They worked, ok, but people who wanted them after the rebate program ended couldn’t afford them. They cost as much as a luxury car. Besides the cost, though, there was another very good reason that solar panels didn’t make it in this part of the world. It’s the weather.

For instance, in April of this year, a hail storm came through the panhandle of Texas leaving a moon-scape of hailstone drifts behind. As you can imagine, few solar panels survived the onslaught of Mother Nature. This may seem like an extreme circumstance, but severe weather is a reality in some parts of the world, and energy needs only increase during these times. In fact, the coal burning power plants suffer in this kind of weather, too, with downed powerlines and blown transformers, making the problem worse.

Many people have emergency generators for just such  occasions. They have them wired in at the breaker box, so that all they have to do when they lose power is flip a switch. They then start the gas or diesel powered generator, and switch to generated power.

This same wiring system can be used for other forms of energy, too, and will probably be used when home power generating plants are available. Cold Fusion units will be on the market in 2013. These are miniature nuclear reactors. However, they are not the nuclear fission, radioactive horrors that many people fear may be used as “dirty bombs”. They are power units that use ecologically friendly elements readily available in sea water – hydrogen and nickel. Measuring under 2 feet, these portable units produce enough power for an entire house indefinitely. They will fit in your utility closet or laundry room, providing silent power regardless of the weather outside. There are no batteries involved, and no need for coal-burning power plants.

All of this sounds like a real positive. Andrea Rossi says his E-Cat cold fusion unit should cost about $400, and run indefinitely with only changes in the fuel canister every few months. This is power that can withstand just about any kind of weather, including the weather that destroys solar panels.

As I stood in the back yard, in 106 degree heat (Fahrenheit), changing the fuse on my air conditioning unit, I wondered how difficult it may be to change the fuel cell in my E-Cat unit that I’m going to have, some day. And, I wonder who will install it.

Andrea Rossi is already taking orders for a large E-Cat unit designed to provide power to large buildings. This unit will heat and provide hot water for an entire corporate building. It can also be added onto, for the purpose of providing power for even larger buildings. The units stack well within chipping containers.

Rossi has carefully considered the electrical needs of residential consumers, as well, with his home fusion unit, which is supposed to be available in 2013.

The possibilities of these units being adaptable to certain industries are intriguing. Perhaps entire apartment complexes can receive all of their heating and hat water needs from a series of E-Cat devices. If they do, indeed, produce enough energy to run a turbine, the production of all electric needs by the E-Cat units may be unlimited!

So, back to my air conditioning unit, I wonder if my heating and cooling serviceman will install the E-Cat unit? If I were in that line of service, I would certainly look into it. So should electrical contractors. These guys stand to make a mint if they learn how to install the switch over breakers. It should probably be pretty similar to installing switches for emergency generators, except instead of a noisy, gasoline burning internal combustion engine, I’ll have a silent, eco-friendly cold fusion machine in my utility closet.

In fact, service industries need to sit up and make plans. I would contact Rossi, if I were them, and find out how to install the units. Because, when these units are finally available on the market, they’re going to take off.

There has been much speculation concerning the production and practicality of home fusion units that may provide cold fusion for individual homes. The E-Cat units invented by Andrea Rossi are said to produce only copper as a by-product, yet they produce up to 260 degrees Celsius. This is hoe enough to boil water and produce steam, which will turn turbines to generate electricity.  But is this adaptable on an individual home basis?

The answer is, yes. Rossi has successfully tested a home unit capable of consistently delivering 1 kW of energy for at least a month. This reactor is small – only about 20 cm square, with an easily replaced fuel canister.

So far, so good. It’s small enough to fit in the utility closet of most homes. It’s safe, with a sealed canister that contains the fuel. It provides long-lasting power. But, is it affordable?

The units are not on the market yet, but they are supposed to be made available in 2013. Amazingly, the entire unit, including the fuel canister, is projected to cost only $400! This is no more than a couple of months energy bill for those who live in extreme climates. For instance, in the Midwest, where temperatures during the summers are in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit every day for weeks at a time, electric cooling bills are easily $250 a month. The same is true for wintertime heating bills in the northwest part of the U.S.

But how does it interface with a – house? When you plug in your hair dryer, how does an E-Cat unit make it run?

It’s surprisingly simple. Think of your E-Cat as an emergency generator. Gas or diesel powered generators sit idly by until the power goes out. Then, if they have been installed properly, you can go out to your breaker box and flip a switch. When you flip the switch, it is not to start the generator. It is to route the power generated by the motor into the powerlines of your house. Then, you start the generator, and power is restored.

An E-Cat unit will work in a similar manner. When you purchase an E-Cat unit, it will be hooked up to your breaker box, where all electrical systems meet. Then, you’ll flip the switch, and the E-Cat will start providing the energy you need.

Once your unit is functioning, you will not be using any electricity from the power grid. All you will need is a new fuel canister every month or so, at far less expense than a $250 electric or coal oil bill.

There has been a lot of speculation on whether or not entire cities could switch over to power provided by cold fusion. Andrea Rossi has a patent pending on a home fusion unit that will provide 1 MW of energy to individual houses. This is enough to heat the home and provide hot water. This would effectively take the houses off the power grid, reducing the pressure on municipal power plants. But, how would this type of power work for entire cities?

Rossi is already selling 10MW power units for the production of heat and heating water. His goal is to develop, along with Siemens, a steam-powered turbine that will work with his units. Rossi has designed the 10 MW units to stack upon and beside each other, forming a battery of power. Each of the units will plug in to each other, and then to the power station.

Current power stations manufacture electricity through steam power. The steam is created by the heating of water, which is heated by the burning of coal. Alternatives have been sought for generations. Nuclear power has been implemented, but without the support of the populace that must live in the shadow of the nuclear power plants. The dangers of radioactive leaks and waste halted the construction of nuclear power plants in the United States.

However, cold fusion provides the same power without the dangers associated with nuclear power. LENR, or Low Energy Nuclear Reaction, is a nuclear reaction that takes place without the use of radioactive particles or materials. The fuel is hydrogen and nickel, both of which are contained in a cylinder. This cylinder will need to be replaced every 6 months or so on a home unit.

Rossi has designed his power plant to fit into a shipping container, so that gives you an idea of the size. The linking of multiple units makes the possibility of unlimited power production a reality. Placing the units instead of coal burners is all that remains for converting power plants to cold fusion technology.

In October of 2011, scientist Andrea Rossi and co-developer Sergio Focardi unveiled a new source of clean, cheap power – the E-Cat cold fusion device. At just 16 inches square and about 145 lbs, the home fusion unit stand poised to cause an economic and ecological world revolution.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGIES

For decades, scientists have striven to develop energy sources as an alternative to fossil fuels. While there has been limited success, most of these sources still are far more expensive than even the inflated prices of fossil fuel. For instance, gas costs $66 USD for each MW hour. Coal, which is used run power plants that produce electricity, costs $95 USD per MW hour. Outrageous, right? But onshore wind energy is $97 per MW hour, and over twice that for offshore wind energy. Solar energy starts at $210 per MW hour. Recent forays into biofuels in the United States left thousands of farmers trying to sell overstocks of corn – an extremely expensive crop to raise – when the government decided this type of fuel was too expensive.

E-CAT ENERGY

However, the heat produced by E-Cat costs only $10 USD per MW hour. And, once Mr. Rossi and Siemens develop an electrical generator that can run off of the heat produced, the E-Cat will not only be useful for heating, it can be used for generation of electricity.

This cost is based on the expense of the unit along with the fuel cells, which contain hydrogen and nickel. Both of these elements are plentiful on the planet, and contained within the fuel cells. Like hot fusion, which is used to power nuclear subs and nuclear air craft carriers, cold fusion requires very little upkeep and runs for months at a time. The difference is that there is no radioactive waste with cold fusion. It is also harder to achieve.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF E-CAT

E-Cat is a type of low energy nuclear reaction, commonly known as LENR. While fusion takes place, there is no production of radiation, making this type of energy much safer than hot fusion used in nuclear reactors. The reaction between hydrogen and nickel creates copper. The copper has a lower state of energy, in comparison with nickel. This difference is released in the form of heat. Rossi himself describes the unit as a heater. But, what a heater it is! His home unit can heat an entire home, without the use of fossil fuels such as coal or coal oil, for months on one fuel cell, at a fraction of the cost when the cost of the machine is averaged out. Rossi and Focardi are also working on a 1 MW unit that can heat large office buildings. Rossi says these units can be stacked and linked together to heat even bigger applications.

HOW DID HE GET THERE?

Rossi himself has worked with very little input from others in the scientific community. His main co-developer, Sergio Focardi, is the General Emeritus in physics at Rossi’s hometown’s University of Bologna.  Rossi and Focardi introduced their home fusion unit, Giuseppe Levi with the same university, and Brian Josephson, Nobel laureate in Physics, were participants in the testing. Josephson is sold on the unit, and is now calling for more universities to pursue development of cold fusion technology.

E-Cat technology stands to become a revolutionary source of energy. Every kind of consumer, from individuals and their private transportation to large companies with the energy demands of thousands of employees, E-Cat may well be the answer to expensive and eventually hard to find fossil fuels.

REVOLUTIONS

There have been many revolutions that have occurred in the past and continue to wrack unfortunate civilizations across the world. But the industrial revolution, ushered in by the invention of the steam engine and later the internal combustion engine, has changed the face of the entire planet.

Other revolutions and wars are now being fought over the fuels that keep the internal combustion engines running. This fuel, while still plentiful, is controlled by a limited number of governments. Some would argue that an independent fuel source that is available regardless of which country owns the real estate would remove the desire for war in these nations.

AVAILABLE ENERGY SOURCE

While an E-Cat unit requires an initial investment, the fact that it provides almost unlimited energy quickly pays for the original cost. The E-Cat uses minute amounts of inexpensive materials to produce energy. This will quickly make fossil fuels outdated – an unnecessary product for those who make the switch.

WORLD ECONOMY

The entire world has been experiencing a recession for the last few years. Governments struggle to keep their major businesses afloat and their citizenry employed. If these governments embrace E-Cat technology, the cost of operations would drop significantly. The technology boom for manufacturing of E-Cat equipment would provide jobs for the unemployed, and the savings for businesses would make an inestimable difference in the bottom line.

INDIVIDUALS

Families and individuals would experience an exceptional drop in the cost of living. Home E-Cat units will supply each home with inexpensive heating and cooling. Some people in the United States already rely on generators for their some of their power, preferring to pay for gasoline to run generators rather than pay outrageous electrical bills. But with E-Cat units, these same people will have dependable power that is cheap to produce, and non-pollutant as well.

Vehicle sized E-Cat units would make the internal combustion engine obsolete, powering cars, trucks, and even airplanes with inexpensive energy that borders on perpetual motion.

TRANSPORTATION

Visionaries speculate that all of our transportation can be powered by E-Cat. These reactors, powered by nickel and hydrogen, will run for months at a time. The only comparison we have at this time are nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers that can stay at sea for months, due to the power of the nuclear reactor. With LENR devices, individuals can have this kind of power running their private vehicles safely. Mass transit may actually become a norm in countries that have been unable or unwilling to afford it. Transportation companies will be able to reduce their costs exponentially, turning a unbelievable profits while discounting their services to consumers.

POLLUTION

Arguments about depletion of the ozone and global warming can become a thing of the past. As E-Cat technology becomes more prevalent, pollution will decrease. Air quality will improve, as well possibly improving the health of people who live in industrial areas. Industrialized areas have the highest rates of asthma, COPD, and emphysema, because of the emissions from the factories. Once factories convert to cold fusion, the emissions will be non-existent.

POLITICS

Politically, minor nations would no longer be at the mercy of stronger neighbors. They would be able to develop their countries and improve the lives of their citizens independent from access to fossil fuels. In addition, the countries that control the majority of oil would lose their influence.

E-Cat technology, if proven commercially valid, is poised to become the newest revolution to sweep the globe. This inexpensive fuel and power source could change the face of the world.

One year has already passed since Andrea Rossi made public his E-Cat invention. Today, it has become one of the most controversial cold fusion experiments in this century.  Also known as the Low Energy Nuclear Reaction or LENR, it is touted as the breakthrough invention in the 21st century. Italian inventor Andrea Rossi made a decision when he introduced his invention in January last year. He claimed to have developed a working cold fusion device. And this is despite the negative publicity of cold fusion. Andrea Rossi persevered and continued to present his groundbreaking technology to the public. It should be remembered that following the failed cold fusion experiment of Dr. Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons, Rossi’s E-Cat discovery received mixed reviews. In fact, there were many negative reviews, especially from the scientific and academic community. The emergence of the Rossi E-Cat then became a phenomenon in the world of science. This is because this technology defies the main stream law of physics. This is the issue that Rossi E-Cat has been facing since its first demonstration.  Until now, Rossi remains to keep quiet about the details of the commercialization of the Home E-Cat.

At the start of 2011, there was a wide coverage of the Rossi E-Cat. The life of the inventor Andrea Rossi became public as well as the battles that he waged to have the LENR technology accepted by mainstream science. Rossi conducted many tests, public and private, to prove that his discovery is valid. It is interesting to note that the E-Cat device has passed all tests that Rossi conducted but there never was any definitive proof to give scientific explanation as to why it can deliver vast amounts of heat. Rossi’s E-Cat uses a small amount of nickel and hydrogen. A secret catalyst is then applied to it to create a nuclear reaction. One of the reasons why LENR remains controversial is because Rossi prefers to work in secret so that many questions remain unresolved.

In the beginning, mainstream scientists and media did not give Rossi and his energy catalyzer so much attention. This is because of the bad history of the cold fusion technology. Mainstream scientists have given different opinions about the Rossi E-Cat.  People, however, become curious about the technology because is touted to generate vast quantities of energy. In time, Rossi attracted some media attention. Today, the number of E-Cat enthusiasts has increased so that eventually, the invention garnered wide media coverage. Rossi is now working on the commercialization of the Home E-Cat. The inventor has announced that before this year will end, Leonardo Corporation will produce a million units of Home E-Cats units. This has given hope to many people who are dreaming of an alternative source of energy that could help solve the world’s energy crisis.

The Rossi Home E-Cat is considered as among the first commercially successful LENR devices. This phenomenal technology has caused many people believe that it is too good to be true. Andrea Rossi commented that these are the kind of people who cannot accept change. They are not willing to embrace new technologies, no matter how many successful tests it conquered. This reaction is also understandable for a premature invention that has yet to gain trust from mainstream scientific personalities. One of the best things about Rossi energy catalyzer device is that it is globally and environmentally significant. The world is badly in need of a safe, cheap and clean alternative energy source. It is believed by LENR enthusiast that Rossi’s Home E-Cat can replace the heaters that are used at homes. The main advantage is that it could lower electric power consumption. Aside from providing a supply of cheap energy, the Rossi E-Cat does not use radioactive materials. Therefore, it is an environmentally safe and friendly technology. Some people believe that the LENR technology is the holy grail of the cold fusion experiment. This could be the device that Fleischmann and Pons used to talk about when they made public the cold fusion technology in 1989. The Rossi E-Cat is more developed than the technology of Fleischmann-Pons and today, Rossi and his team are preparing for the launching of Home E-Cat to the general public.

The Cold Fusion Now officially web site continues to provide exciting news about new developments surrounding the commercialization of LENR or Low Energy Nuclear Reaction. It can be recalled that Ruby Carat of Cold Fusion Now did a video interview of Andrea Rossi where the Italian inventor discussed about his cold fusion or LENR device. Carat interviewed another important personality in the world of cold fusion. An affiliate professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champain, Dr. George Miley talked to Carat about what he knows in the LENR reactions. Miley has claimed that he has developed a fairly sophisticated model to show and explain what is going on in the reactor. It is good to know that Carat provided a transcript of her conversation with Miley.

The following day after Miley talked to Carat, he gave an interesting presentation at the Nuclear and Emerging Technology for Space conference at the Woodlands, Texas where he talked about his LENR research. Carat also included Miley’s presentation and theoretical work in her report. It should be noted that Miley’s presentation reported a summary of the model, which he believes would offer a clear understanding of what is going on in LENR reactions. The articles were presented along with graphics. Miley’s involvement in LENR can be traced back to the controversial cold fusion days with Dr. Martin Fleischmann, Stanley Pons and Steven Jones. Although Miley was saddened by the negative publicity in the United States that continues to attack cold fusion, he enthusiastically said that commercialization of LENR technologies may be a great success in the near future despite the anti-cold fusion sentiment. It is more likely that it will begin outside the United States.

Among the LENR devices that Miley identified during his interview were Andrea Rossi and his E-Cat fusion device. He also mentioned the country Japan as one of the possible sources that would lead to an early commercial success of cold fusion or LENR. Miley also revealed to Carat that he himself is starting a small company which is located in the research part at University of Illinois. The name of the said company is LENUCO. When asked about his chances in the commercialization of his own LENR device, Miley seemed to appear realistic about it stating that he avoided to fool anyone and admitted that it is a tremendous challenge. He cannot predict the future but he said that it’s either go belly up or may be a huge success.