Thor, cartels snuffing innovative concepts is not new. For instance the patent on aromatic compounds that give butter its unique taste were shelved for the life of the patent, I am told to avoid tasty competition from cheap margarine imitations. Of course, it does not always works, we have oversupply of butter (G). One way we inventors try to get around it, is to insist on clauses like "if you do not use it you loose it", but inventors rarely have the financial muscle in such battles.
Frankly, I do not understand why fuel cells technology has taken so long to develop, gee, it is almost like Gillette, they spent a billion bucks to add a third blade to their shaver (including the marketing launch), the government has spent much more than a billion bucks (with the Fords, Lockheeds and the rest of "Corporate America"), and still have not much to show for it. I have a patent (work funded of course by the government) in the field of fuel cells and it is dated 1975 (expired of course), and I came very late to that game. Sometimes I ask myself if those contracts really seek solutions or are just "pork barrel" to the "Big Physics Establishment". Look how much has been spent so far on hot fusion (excluding hydrogen bombs, of course).
Zeev |
