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This whole area can be very “emotionally charged”. People often over react to the idea of cold fusion, alternate energy and so on. I am not even sure that the project will get started. It is just in the planning phases now. This is not an offer to sale, or a request for donations at this time. Much has to be done before I can do that. This is a labor of love and hope. It is VERY doubtful that it will succeed much less be profitable. The following specifications, clarifications and modification to the HOPE project should be made. Basically, I want to be sure of who owns what and have clear goals and “deliverables”. Also by breaking it into two phases, the investors/ sponsors could “cut their losses” if things don’t go as expected in the first phase or if something unexpected happens (major CF breakthrough by someone else?). It also gives me a way out if we can only get to $150K and the partners don’t want to risk anymore. It also gives me a way to keep on working on the problem if I don’t get it done in about 2 or 2 ½ years.

1) Clarification of who will own what: I would like to retain the physical items at the end of the project. These would include the car, the tools, and equipment so that I can continue research and development after the project. The partnership will own 80% of the IP discovered during the two year project if the limited partners are willing to fund the legal fees required to secure the IP. The General Partner would retain the remaining 20 % or any IP not so secured. The General Partner would give his best efforts to support any such IP efforts. The General Partner will give the partners the first right of refusal to any IP discovered after the initial project, using the materials retained, for a period of two additional years following termination of the initial project.

2) Division of the project into two phases: PHASE I: I would like the $250K investment held in escrow before the start of the project, but I could “live with” just the first $150K in escrow before the start if it makes it easier to sell. The first $150K would be available for phase I when the project starts and for approximately the first 1 year. That phase would be deemed complete once a hybrid system was integrated into the car and the car would be shown capable of traveling 50 miles without refueling and without use of carbon containing molecules. The remaining $100K would be made available for the project once the car made a 50 mile documented trip and would be used to complete phase 2 of the project, described in more detail elsewhere. It should be understood that the Phase I trip may be slow and with stops and repairs. Any unused funds could be returned to the limited partners if the car fails the 50 mile test at the option of the majority vote of the Limited partnership. The project can be terminated by the General Partner when phase 1 is successfully completed. If phase 1 is not complete by the 18th month, the limited partners can terminate the project by majority vote. The General Partner will then be required to provide a detailed accounting of project expenses and refund any remaining funds to the limited partners on a pro-rata basis, as will be described in the Limited Partnership agreement related to winding down the business of the partnership.

3) Second division of project: PHASE II: The advice I received seems to favor a general goal for the project. The Phase II goal(s) should be a 1000 mile trip or more without refueling and the display of the vehicle at some major event (meaning something with a national news media presence). It should be possible to make a major domestic road trip to some media center. We will still be trying for a car with a speed of >40 MPH, that can go > 2000 miles without refueling and emits no carbon dioxide. Ideally, we hope for a car with cold fusion producing a portion of its power and a long trip cross country to a major US city. Even an engine that is modified to run >2000 without refueling and emitting no carbon dioxide would likely be a viable source of IP. Phase II will terminate after either a documented trip of >1000 miles without refueling using a non-carbon based fuel or after 12 months of research and development after the end of Phase I. The General Partner will be considered to have successfully completed the project by a documented road trip of 1000 or more miles or when he supplies documentation of 12 or more months of research past Phase I in best efforts to develop a vehicle to make such a trip.

4) Cold Fusion research is just in its infancy. Most work suffers for lack of “reproducibility”. By that I mean having made one system that works, often a second system can not be made to work even when the same materials and protocols are used. This is similar to the problems seen in the first decade or so of transistor development. Instead of seeking reproducible systems, this work will focus on a reliable system. By “reliable”, I mean, the development of a single system that works over and over again in a way that a single system can do a single task for an extended time (example: a very long road trip) or the same task over and over again. Our goal is to develop a single reliable system that can endure an extended trip. In principle, we would only need a single system that can last about one or two weeks. This may mean that many inadequate systems may be tried and discarded before one is found to work. Notice there is a vast difference in a reliable and a reproducible system.

In all likelihood, the fusion system of the vehicle will only supply a minor amount to the overall energy required by the vehicle. We would like for the fusion system to provide all the energy. But that is a remote, if not non-existent possibility. The goal here is to hope and try. Even in the attempt valuable engineering data is expected. It is that knowledge and data that is the true objective of our project.

HOPES and dreams are important – They shape our future.