It was reported in the previous month that Australian entrepreneur Dick Smith who is also a member of the Australian Skeptics group had promised to donate $200,000 to the Byron New Energy Charitable Trust. This was if he can be convinced that the Rossi Energy Catalyzer device was a valid technology. It was also reported at the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Italian inventor Andrea Rossi was to appear through Skype to discuss his E-Cat technology. However, Rossi denied that he participated in this community meeting held in Mullumbimby, New South Wales.
Dick Smith had supposedly assigned aerospace engineer Ian Bryce to check on the validity of the Rossi Energy Catalyzer. Mr. Bryce is reportedly not convinced about the E-Cat and believes that it was actually a faulty wiring connection that may have caused the energy gain observed in the E-Cat demonstration last October 28 in Bologna, Italy.
In response, Rossi posted the following at the Journal of Nuclear Physics:
Thank you for your comment, because it gives me the chance to make clear that:
1- I NEVER APPROACHED THIS DICK SMITH, I DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHO IS HE.
2- HIS REMARKS ARE SIMPLY RIDICULOUS, JUST GO TO CHECK ALL THE REPORTS MADE ON OUR TESTS, JUST GO TO NYTEKNIK TO READ ALL OUR TESTS, IN PARTICULAR THE OCT 6TH TEST AND YOU WILL SEE THAT ALL THE WIRING HAS BEEN CHECKED. ALL THESE WANNABE VALIDATORS SIMPLY INSULT THE SCIENTISTS WHO MADE THE TESTS, LIKE THEY COULD BE SO NAIF NOT TO CHECK PROPERLY ALL THE WIRING CONNECTIONS. BY THE WAY: THE ENERGY CONSUMED HAS BEEN MEASURED NOT ONLY AT THE WIRES TO THE PLUG (ALL OF THEM, WIRE BY WIRE), BUT ALSO TO ALL THE CABLES CONNECTED INSIDE THE E-CAT !!!!
Also, Rossi stressed that reputable scientists are present during this Rossi Energy Catalyzer test. He defends his invention by stating that the public will have the last verdict when he will bring it in the general market in one year.