Impressions of Andrea Rossi

A frequent accusation about Andrea Rossi is that he is some kind of con man who has concocted an elaborate hoax to make millions and run away to some distant land to enjoy the fruits of ill-gotten gain. Another angle is that he is a crazy man who has a false delusion about finding a new source of energy.

A reader’s comment on the previous post has prompted some thoughts about Andrea Rossi. Steve Robb wrote:

“It is interesting how when after a long period of time reading the posts from the patho-skeptics about Rossi, I then am given a chance to hear from the man himself, I find such a contrast between the raving lunatic they portray and the rational, humorous, and somewhat self-effacing person Rossi seems to be.”

A simple question to consider for people trying to figure out if there is anything to this whole E-Cat story is how does Andrea Rossi come across? Are there any signs from his speech, mannerisms, body language, writings, that give any kind of indication that he may be something other than that who he purports to be?
Granted, it is not always possible to judge a person by the way they present themselves in public – there are skilled and clever actors who are able to deceive the public by skillful performances. I do not claim to be an expert in the judgment of a person’s character, I have no special training in detecting fraud or fraudsters, so my thoughts on the subject should be taken as a purely subjective opinion on my part.

It is always interesting to hear Rossi discuss his work in a rather matter-of-fact way that would not be remarkable if he was discussing the manufacturing of shoes, televisions or cars. The fact that he is talking about making an energy production devices unlike anything that has ever been manufactured gets people’s attention and subjects him to extreme scrutiny, which is hardly surprising.

As I have observed Rossi in various video interviews, have personally interviewed him myself over the phone, and read much of his writings, my impressions are that he is a man who is very serious about his work and who has a strong determination to succeed in achieving his goals. He seems knowledgeable in his field of engineering, and in the world of business, and is determined to keep confidential any information that might give potential competitors an advantage — and he appears willing to fiercely protect that which he feels he owns. While very confident in his inventions, he seems to be a realist who knows his own, and his technology’s limits, and tends to be conservative and cautious in making projections. While there are still things about his claims that are unclear, there is a general consistency in his statements about his technology and business plans. We have heard over and over about the COP of 6, about no more public demos, about the requirements to make electricity efficiently, etc.

I admit that I could be wrong, but to me, Andrea Rossi does come across as a rational person who is acting like one would expect someone in his position to act. I realize that there are people who think differently — and of course we are not going to know for sure unless E-Cat products find their way into the marketplace.