News

Rasmus Holmen Bøgh

Published: 11/12/2011 2:51 p.m., Updated: 13/11/2011 11:01

Italians Andrea Rossi and Sergio Focardi claim to have succeeded in initiating artificial fusion processes. But so far there are few who believe in them.

Nuclear fusion is a process by which multiple nuclei fused together to form a heavier nucleus. The fusion is released or absorbed enormous amounts of energy.

Fusion processes take place normally at several million degrees. Many physicists have hoped that it is possible to initiate a controlled fusion process at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, a so-called cold fusion process.

It's just that the Italians behind the E-Cat (Energy catalyze) claim to have achieved. More and more physicists have been aware of the alleged breakthrough.

Norwegian physicists E24've talked to think it's exciting that the alleged breakthrough has not yet been disproved. Nevertheless relate themselves skeptical and hesitant until the technology is proven.

- The solution to the energy and climate crisis

E24 has also talked with economics scholar Ingrid Krüger and Professor of Political Science, Dag Harald Claes, regarding the consequences of any successful E-Cat-innovation. Both specialize in the energy sector and is located at the University of Oslo.

- The innovation would have helped to resolve many of the world's energy problems and caused the world economy with a significant positive shock, comment Claes.

Below you can see a video of a presentation of the E-Cat. The video is made ​​by supporters of the project (case continues below video).

The American environmental economist William Nordhaus has estimated that the shortage of non-renewable natural resources limit growth in the global economy by 0.25 percent each year. In this way represents energy resources like gas, coal and oil the most significant natural resources.

When a merger technological breakthrough would Marion King Hubert's "Peak Oil" scenario with a real less intimidating. The theory is that oil is about to end. The subsequent depreciation of oil will then be able to send the world economy into a recession unprecedented in world history.

Falling prices

The world's dependence on fossil fuels would, according to experts become far less of an E-Cat breakthrough. In the long run would the price of electricity fell like a stone for the benefit of businesses and households worldwide. In turn, would fuel prices followed suit.

Through the reduced use of fossil fuels, we also observed a significant reduction in global CO2 emissions. This would in turn decreased the chance of a potential climate crisis considerably.

The Italian researchers behind the E-Cat promotes its product as a solution to both energy and climate crisis, without going very carefully into the economic mechanisms.

- Would have helped Europe out of debt crisis

A real E-Cat breakthrough would also be helped much to solve the debt crisis in European and other Western countries.

Significantly cheaper energy and economic recovery in the outside world would have provided a much-needed boost for debt-ridden economies, including in southern Europe.

Economy Fellow Krüger comments:

- A cheaper alternative energy source will had a positive impact on economic activity in oil importing countries. This would be particularly important for heavily indebted euro zone.

A possible merger technological breakthrough can hardly think of any particular point in time for the EU than now. Admittedly, it would take several years before commercial fusion power plant ready for operation, but would probably despair in markets largely been replaced with new optimism.

- I think it would take many years before any fusion energy turns into the energy markets. Nevertheless, it would have created new optimism in the European economy, as well as the world economy more generally, notes Professor Claes.

However, there are countries where an E-Cat breakthrough would have negative consequences. This applies primarily to nations that export fossil fuels, including Norway and Arab countries.

Krüger says that if the Italians box innovators keep their promise, it would have had a negative effect on the Norwegian oil industry, through reduced demand and lower investment.

Professor Claes points out that a real E-Cat breakthrough would ever brought a change in the world balance of power in Russia and Saudi Arabia's disadvantage.

- Would have won many Nobel prizes at once

The merger process Italians apparently have succeeded is to merge the nickel and hydrogen to copper. Fusion processes release massive amounts of energy - especially when heavier elements such as nickel is involved.

- If this is indeed true, would innovators win many Nobel prizes all at once, both for the revolutionary technology and the contribution to solving the world's problems, says fellow Sunniva Rose, an expert in nuclear physics at the University of Oslo.

Reactor design is kept secret from the public. Several invited Swedish and Italian researchers have been convinced of the technology. Most Norwegian physicists relate currently pending.

- The Norwegian nuclear environment is hesitant, but we follow the developments with excitement. Many have cried "wolf, wolf" about cold fusion in the past, such attitudes in the scientific community are skeptical, says Rose.

Open the process
Unlike previous alleged breakthrough in cold fusion front, E-Cat-innovators have been relatively open about the process.

At the end of last month to an undisclosed customer have purchased a prototype of the catalyst after a trial with several invited researchers. The machine should have been given away to 500 kW per hour over five hours. This was barely half of what the E-Cat-innovators had promised, yet NOK to the customer shall have been satisfied.

Rose says it is difficult to assess the technology, as long as you do not know the catalyst structure. E-Cat has patented the technology, but says they will not reveal the box's contents, before a larger fusion power plants are under development.

E-Cat now report that they are looking for new investors to do just that.

- Investors will run a great risk of being disappointed, but the success they are probably wealthy, says Rose to E24.

Originally published: http://e24.no/energi/forskere-mener-de-har-loest-verdens-problemer/20120227

Google Translated

copyrighted. © E24