Rossi's Team Still Studying 'Very Interesting' Direct Electricity Generation [Updated]

Andrea Rossi is giving few clues away these days regarding the work he and his partner company is involved in, but once in a while he says something that gives some indication of some aspect of their work. Today on the Journal of Nuclear Physics he was asked about a phenomenon he has reported observing in tests of the E-Cat:

Steven N. Karels
September 10th, 2013 at 1:51 AM
Dear Andrea Rossi,

You mentioned some time ago about observing a direct electric generation within the eCat, or something similar. Can you enlighten us as to what you are seeing or observed?

Andrea Rossi
September 10th, 2013 at 7:33 AM
Steven N Karels:
Yes, this is a very interesting phenomenon, that we still are studying.
As you know, our work of R&D is in course and we are submitting our technology to a rigorous process of validation that includes also this effect. The results of our R&D could be positive or negative in any sense, and will be communicated when we will have final results, positive or negative. In the meantime, I cannot give specific answers.
Warm Regards,
A.R.

There’s no way of telling how far the team has come with the development of this aspect of the E-Cat, but the fact that there has been an Electromotive Force (EMF) detected would be something that I am sure anyone involved the development of this technology would pay keen attention to.

If is the potential to generate useful amounts of electricity in useful quantities directly from the E-Cat, rather than using heat to drive steam turbines, I am sure it would be carefully studied — and from Rossi’s response here, it sounds like that could be the case. He mentions that the validation they are conducting includes this effect, which implies it is not being considered just a mere side-effect of little practical value.

It could turn out that this is the most significant E-Cat related discovery of all. An E-Cat that acts like a battery would be a phenomenal breakthrough.

UPDATE: I submitted a follow up question on the JONP — apparently this effect is under some scrutiny:

Your continued interest in direct electricity production from the E-Cat is intriguing. Without going into any detail, do you see the potential for this phenomenon to be significant enough to produce useful amounts of electricity?

Andrea Rossi
September 11th, 2013 at 8:19 AM
Frank Acland:
It is soon to say anything solid. We are studyinf the phenomenon: by the way, today I have to make measurements in this field, but , as I said, in this period of R&D and validation I cannot answer to this kind of questions.
Warm Regards,
A.R.