I found this comment from Andrea Rossi on the Journal of Nuclear Physics interesting today:
Andrea Rossi
August 28, 2017 at 7:24 AM
JPR:
We are continuing to work very well. Now the control system is final.
Warm Regards,
A.R.
I followed up with a question and got a response:
Frank Acland
August 28, 2017 at 7:53 AM
Dear Andrea,With the control system now final, are you able to move beyond the R&D phase to begin the industrialization process of the E-Cat QX?
Andrea Rossi
August 28, 2017 at 8:21 AM
Frank Acland:
The answer to this question is very complex. I can say that we are resolving problems, also for what concerns the partnerships necessary for the financial issues bound to the industrialization.
Basically, we are very close to Sigma 5 level of reliablity of the basic module and putting modules in parallel we can reach any power.
Hard work is on course. Our Team is getting greater by the day. As Maurizio Crozza says: ” We are not sharpening the tips of the Pyramids”.
Warm Regards,
A.R.
From Rossi’s response here, it seems that not only is the technical development going well, but also the financing. I would imagine that for Rossi, the latter is going to be more difficult. When working in his lab, he has control over what goes on, but as we have seen in the IH relationship, business can be more of a challenge than science and technology. Of course both need to be in place before any serious commercial production can begin. As usual, there is very little detail provided, so it’s hard to evaluate the state of things. Still, from what I have heard, the planned demonstration is still going ahead in the latter part of October, so that may turn out to be the kickoff event that will set the larger commercialization into motion.
UPDATE (August 29, 2017): I sent some more questions to Rossi yesterday.
Frank Acland
August 28, 2017 at 3:47 PM
Dear Andrea,1. When you say your team is getting greater every day, does that mean greater in numbers, or greater in quality? AR: in reliabilty
2. Do you think you will have the necessary financial backing to get your robotized factories to start producing E-Cats in 2018? AR: yes
3. Will your robotized factories produce the control units as well as the E-Cats? AR: yes