I have a simple suggestion for using these "billions" in a way that could give us all some resolution. Simply spend about one million of it hiring some absolutely respected scientists and engineers to create a testing protocol which would validate any LENR entrant as being an unquestionable demonstration of energy production beyond any known process. This demonstration could be done in a way which would protect the intellectual property of any entrant. The entrant would be required to post a bond which would pay for the testing of their entry in the event that they fail. The first entrant to demonstrate in a CONCLUSIVE, CLEAR and COMPELLING way that their device in fact produces energy which is unarguably beyond that possible by any known process, they will be awarded a prize of ONE BILLION dollars. Worldwide patent protection would be assigned to that entrant and their invention would be revealed in a manner which would allow straightforward replication.
I am serious in this suggestion and know that my description of how it would work will need a great deal of refinement. I ask this community to offer refinements, and re-publish the idea widely so that the powerful and wealthy will become aware of it.
I like it because it calls the bluff of both the wealthy who claim to seek clean energy, and those who make their various unsubstantiated claims of functional LENR devices. Come on Andreas and Brillouin, what could possibly be wrong with this incentive. You get a BILLION, rights to your discovery and all of the recognition you could ever imagine! Come on Bill Gates et. al. , invest a million, and offer a Billion for a complete victory in your quest for clean energy!
P.S. To my skeptical friends: do you believe that a foolproof, scam proof, once-and-for-all demonstration of LENR power creation is possible? Could you design it? Who could? Thanks for taking this at least a bit seriously!