Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions Workshop
October 21-22, 2021
The objective of this workshop was to explore compelling R&D opportunities in Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR) [1], in support of developing metrics for a potential ARPA-E R&D program in LENR. Despite a large body of empirical evidence for LENR that has been reported internationally over the past 30+ years in both published and unpublished materials, as well as multiple books, there still does not exist a widely accepted, on-demand, repeatable LENR experiment nor a sound theoretical basis. This has led to a stalemate where adequate funding is not accessible to establish irrefutable evidence and understanding of LENR, and lack of the latter precludes the field from accessing adequate funding. Building on and leveraging the most promising recent developments in LENR research, ARPA-E envisions a potential two-phase approach toward breaking this stalemate:
- 1. Support targeted R&D toward establishing at least one on-demand, repeatable LENR experiment with diagnostic evidence that is convincing to the wider scientific community (focus of this workshop);
- 2. If phase 1 above is successful (metrics to be determined), support a broader range of R&D activities (to be defined later) toward better understanding of LENR and its potential for scale-up toward disruptive energy applications, thus setting up LENR for broader and more systematic support by both the public and private sectors.
Thursday, October 21, 2021 (All Times Eastern)
| Start Time (ET) | Event | Speaker(s) |
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11:00 AM |
Meeting logistics |
Dr. Robert Thompson, Booz Allen Hamilton, Support Contractor to ARPA-E |
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11:05 AM |
Dr. Jennifer Gerbi, Deputy Director for Technology and Acting Director, ARPA-E |
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Setting the stage |
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11:10 AM |
Dr. Scott Hsu, Program Director, ARPA-E (15+5) |
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11:30 AM |
Dr. Shinya Narita, Professor, Iwate University (25+5) |
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12:00 PM |
Dr. Katharine Greco, Fellow, ARPA-E (15+5) |
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12:20 PM |
Dr. David Nagel, Research Professor, George Washington University (25+5) |
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12:50 PM |
Break/buffer |
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Moving forward |
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1:00 PM |
Dr. Florian Metzler, Research Scientist, MIT (15+5) |
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1:20 PM |
Lightning round: LENR experiments |
(10+2)-minute presentations + open Q&A/discussion, 5 speakers Brillouin's LENR Reactor and System Identification Lattice Confinement Fusion Gas Cycling Experiments Condensed Matter Nuclear Reactions in Nano-Materials High-Resolution Calorimetry for Probing Reactions of Nanopowders with D_2 Pd/D Co-Deposition |
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2:35 PM |
Break/buffer |
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2:45 PM |
Lightning round: Technical best practices |
(10+2 each tentative) Particle Detector Systems for LENR – Low Count Rate Particle Measurements Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions: An Electrochemical Engineering Perspective Calorimetry for LENR New Technology for Accurate LENR Measurements and Materials |
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3:45 PM |
Introduction to breakout discussion #1 |
Dr. Scott Hsu, Program Director, ARPA-E |
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3:50 PM |
Break/buffer |
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4:00 PM |
Breakout discussion #1 |
All (Technical R&D oriented discussion topics) Group 1: Quantitative Technical Metrics for a LENR Program Group 2: Expected Standards for Experimental Protocols & Measurements Group 3: Needed Improvements in LENR Experiments and Measurements Group 4: Desired Program-Wide Shared Resources (diagnostics, facilities, modeling, etc.) NOTE: All registered participants have been assigned to breakout groups based on the preferences selected during registration. |
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4:55 PM |
Dr. Michael McKubre (retired), SRI International (25+5) |
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5:25 PM |
Day-1 closing remarks, followed by optional virtual social (on Gatherly) |
All |
Friday, October 22, 2021 (All Times Eastern)
| Start Time (ET) | Event | Speaker(s) |
|
11:00 AM |
Welcome to day 2 |
Dr. Scott Hsu, Program Director, ARPA-E |
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11:05 AM |
Dr. Oliver Barham, Mechanical Engineer and Project Manager, Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head (25+5) |
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11:35 AM |
Mr. Matt Trevithick, Senior Program Manager, Google Research (20+5) |
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Technology-to-Market and Partnerships |
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12:00 PM |
Mr. Sam Wurzel, T2M Advisor, ARPA-E (15+5) |
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12:20 PM |
Lightning round: Government-agency perspectives |
Lt. Col. Dr. Charlton “David” Lewis, Program Manager, DARPA DSO Lattice Confinement Fusion Dr. Lali Chatterjee, Program Manager, DOE Office of Science, High Energy Physics (5 each followed by Q&A/discussion) |
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12:40 PM |
Break/buffer |
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12:50 PM |
Lightning round: Private-sector partnerships and perspectives |
Clean Planet’s path and plans Mr. Thomas Darden, CEO, Industrial Heat Brillouin Energy Corporation (video/external link) LENRIA as a partner in LENR development and commercialization Limitless Space Institute Overview Solid State Fusion Prize (5 each followed by Q&A/discussion) |
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1:45 PM |
Introduction to breakout discussion #2 |
Mr. Sam Wurzel, T2M Advisor, ARPA-E |
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1:50 PM |
Break/Buffer |
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1:55PM |
Breakout discussion #2 |
All (T2M-oriented discussion topics) Group 1: LENR Development Path Barriers (Technical & Commercialization) Group 2: Potential LENR Markets and Techno-Economic Targets Group 3: Partnership with Government, NGOs, and Private Sector/Investors Group 4: Improving Public and Scientific Perceptions of LENR NOTE: All registered participants have been assigned to breakout groups based on the preferences selected during registration. |
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2:45 PM |
Closing remarks |
All, followed by Dr. Scott Hsu, Program Director, ARPA-E |
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3:00 to 5:00 PM |
One-on-one meetings |
10-minute one-on-one meetings between workshop registrants and ARPA-E team |
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[1] For the purposes of this workshop, LENR is defined as a not-yet-understood process (or class of processes) characterized by system energy outputs characteristic of nuclear physics (typically >> 1 keV/amu/reaction) and energy inputs characteristic of chemistry (~eV/atom).