Zero Point Energy

At first, this sounds almost impossible. Zero energy refers to the minimum-energy state of a system. If so, what sense does it make to try to extract energy and leave the system in an energy state less than its minimum? Wasn't the first energy minimum (defined as!) the lowest energy possible? This is clearly related to the possibility of new 'negative energy'.

But that has not stopped speculators from speculating about new physics. On this page, I show some of what they have written.

General Discussions

D. Cole and H. Puthoff (1993) Extracting energy and heat from the vacuum, Phys Rev E, 48, pp 1562-1564 (src, copy)

Relatively recent proposals have been made in the literature for extracting energy and heat from electromagnetic zero-point radiation via the use of the Casimir force. The basic thermodynamics involve in these proposals is analyzed and clarified here, with the conclusion that, yes, in principle, these proposals are correct. Technological considerations for actual application and use are not examined here however.

H. Puthoff (1998) Can the Vacuum Be Engineered for Spaceflight Applications? Overview of Theory and Experiments, J. Scientific Exploration, 12, pp 295-302 (copy)

Quantum theory predicts, and experiments verify, that empty space (the vacuum) contains an enormous residual background energy known as zero-point energy (ZPE). Originally thought to be of significance only for such esoteric concerns as small perturbations to atomic emission processes, it is now known to play a role in large-scale phenomena of interest to technologists as well, such as the inhibition of spontaneous emission, the generation of short-range attractive forces (e.g., the Casimir force), and the possibility of accounting for sonoluminescence phenomena. ZPE topics of interest for spaceflight applications range from fundamental issues (where does inertia come from, can it be controlled?), through laboratory attempts to extract useful energy from vacuum fluctuations (can the ZPE be "mined" for practical use?), to scientifically grounded extrapolations concerning " engineering the vacuum"(is "warp-drive" space propulsion a scientific possibility?). Recent advances in research into the physics of the underlying ZPE indicate the possibility of potential application in all these areas of interest.

N. Cook (2003) The Hunt for Zero Point: Inside the Classified World of Antigravity Technology, Broadway Books (Amazon, copy) pp 306

The Hunt for Zero Point explores the scientific speculation that a "zero point" of gravity exists in the universe and can be replicated here on Earth. The pressure to be the first nation to harness gravity is immense, as it means having the ability to build military planes of unlimited speed and range, along with the most deadly weaponry the world has ever seen. The ideal shape for a gravity-defying vehicle happens to be a perfect disk, making antigravity tests a possible explanation for the numerous UFO sightings of the past 50 years.

H. Puthoff and S.A. Little (2012) Engineering the Zero-Point Field and Polarizable Vacuum For Interstellar Flight (copy) - see sections 1–3. [abstract here]

Extracting Energy from Zero Point Energy

E. Davis (2010) Concepts for Extracting Energy From the Quantum Vacuum, DIRD (copy)