I've been looking into LPP for more than a year now. What Eric Lerner and team are doing, is good science. They systematically apply since long proven physics, collect a ton of experimental data and identify root causes for unexpected behavior like underperformance for a given set of parameters. They then can remove those root causes - rinse and repeat. So far, they are the front runners in their field. I personally find this specific fusion approach fascinating, because it actually uses the natural instabilities of plasmas to get the desired effects, instead of fighting them with brute force. ITER, for instance, tries to force plasma to behave, at an unfathomable technical and energetic expense. I doubt ITER will make it, for those reasons.
After extensive studies, I can see two realistic candidates in this race to affordable/cheap fusion for the masses: Dense Plasma Focus (LPP) and the Polywell. By the way, there was a somewhat curious fusion reactor video announcement, coming from Lockheed Martin's Charles Chase (Skunkworks) at Google's "Solve for X" :
Solve for X: Charles Chase on energy for everyone - YouTube . In all likelihood, this has to be the polywell type of fusion reactors. They say they had a kind of breakthrough idea that enables them to have a small-room-sized prototype 100MW reactor until 2017. Skunkworks is said to only come out of their labs to make an announcement, if they have made sure there is a high chance of success. So, what is this announcement supposed to mean. What does it tell us? Is commercial, compact fusion a lot closer to fruition than 99.99% of all people think?
Aneutronic p+B11 fusion is IMHO the only responsible fusion approach. We can't continue to produce lethal radioactive waste in fission reactors or even future fusion reactors to burden and make the lives of 10000's of generations to become a living hell. So, if i'm asked as an investor: Would you invest in a company like LPP, even though there is so much risk to lose all your investment? My answer would be a definitive yes. This special subject of absolutely clean fusion power is, from my perspective, on a whole different level than any other investment opportunity. Eric Lerner is a scientist, and a good one at that. The results of his scientific endeavor passed the peer review process in acknowledged scientific journals so far, so there are no complaints to be made about the credibility of his and his team's work. If LPP's crowdfunding approach works out and they can show that their modified tungsten electrodes produce the expected improvements, then there is no doubt to me that the rest is most probably going to work out as well. After that, they need X-ray transparent beryllium electrodes (for the X-rays to not get converted to heat in the electrode) and need to test out their "X-ray solar cell onion" IP (my naming here in lack of a proper official name, IIRC) to convert a big percentage of the fusion's electromagnetic energy (X-rays) to electricity. The other big usable part comes from the pulsed ion beams (made of Helium ions, created during fusion) going through an electronically controlled coil. A lot to do. As long as it's real science, I have no complaints or doubts about feasibilty.
So, we do have two candidates IMO: One has probably access to as much money as needed (Skunkworks from Lockheed Martin), and the other one that has been trying to do this on a shoestring for many years (LPP). If Skunkwork's announcement has a foundation in reality (that is, proven physics), I think that Lockheed Martin could well be the first to achieve commercial, compact fusion power. It would be a different reactor type than LPP's device, but could also, like LPP's reactor, directly convert fusion power to electricity without the need for the conversion chain "fusion heat->steam->generator->electricity" as Tokamak reactors like ITER (or DEMO, for that matter) would necessitate.
Whether or not Lockheed Martin comes out with a working fusion reactor - they can at least fund their research decently, and they have an impressive track record that shows they know what they are doing, if they go to the lengths to announce something publicly. Anyways, I'm more than willing to throw some bucks at LPP and let them do their stuff. I don't care if I don't get a profit from it. Clean fusion power is a much too important technology for us as a species. Our ability to survive long-term depends on finding potent, environmentally neutral power sources - like p+B11 fusion. We also need it for space travel and colonies in space. Thinking big is the key. Well, Elon knows more about that than most
. Electric cars and their recharging would also become a no-brainer. Imagine huge charging stations, powered by small-room-sized fusion reactors, dedicated to charging all kinds of electric vehicles. That is the future we need. Solar is fine and dandy, but in the end fusion power is going to be the basis for an all-electric planetary society. I'm volunteering to give some of my money to very promising companies like LPP. And even if it were all to be lost - this is my decision. I want to live in a fusion powered future. And I want to do my part to even only slightly increase the chances of success. Maybe one could put it this way: "Don't ask what fusion can do for you. Ask, what you can do for fusion." .
My $0.02
