The "technical problem" they experienced is that it is "technically impossible"

Why are people so quick to say it's impossible? If you follow the history a bit, this is precisely why Steorn has taken the public validation path. Also, if they spent a few more years working on trying to figure out where the energy is coming from, then later discovered it is the ZPE field, then people would complain that they didn't release the technology sooner. Who cares where the energy is coming from? If it works, don't knock it!

' the process is a "complicated one, and has been affected by continued development of the technology by Steorn" '
Typical silly meaningless nonsense. Let's review Steorn's claims, well documented in their forum and written directly by Sean McCarthy:
1. They had both a start stop device (no human intervention) and a continuous run device which proved overunity and ran "robustly".
2. They could generate a power density of 0.5w/cc.
3. They could extrapolate their calculations to predict a 550HP self running magnetic motor.
4. The principle was validated by many universities but none would go on record.
5. A jury was necessary to test the claims.
Then the demo at Kinetica - and the failure was attributed to bearings which were damaged by the heat of the lights. Anyone believe that? According to Steorn, the device intended to be shown at Kinetica ran fine before the demo but failed shortly before. If so, why was not a backup device provided and shown? How hard is it to machine another little plastic disc?
Any idea how many different types and styles of bearings are readily available? They're used in devices such as watches, hard drives, alternators, motors, and much much more. Hardly a rare item. But despite dozens of scientists who assembled from many countries at Kinetica, Steorn showed absolutely nothing except that silly looking useless plastic disk shown in the photo above.
Remaining mysteries are why anyone any place with any brains would give these guys any money whatsoever. Apparently, there are investors in Ireland who are richer than they are smart!

Funny...after the Economist advert I went on the Steorn forum and offered to create a worldwide network to share their knowledge and license/distribute their product, per their own business model.
I actually believed in the product, but in spite of that, I knew the proof would be in the pudding.
Of course, I was serendipitously banned from the forum.
What does that tell you?

they plan to make all the blueprints available for free on the Internet the day the jury of 22 scientists give them their report and Steorn brings out the first batch of Orbo products on the market.
I understand that they already have a large quantity stocked, waiting for that happy day.
On top of that, all poor countries get free licences to apply the technology to water pumps for drinking water and irrigation for food crops.
Only those who want to commercialise the invention will have to pay them for permission.
Everyone else will be free to make his own home devices utilizing the blueprints on the Internet to generate free energy for his own use.
So maybe the moderators of the forum thought you were just a sceptic trying to prove that Steorn is not as "good" as they claim to be... by making them an offer they already have planned themselves, so they would reject yours, since it is superfluous.
Steorn has been attacked so viciously -even some of their personel physically by some people waiting for them at the entrance of the Steorn building - that we have to forgive them if the moderators of the forum misunderstood your honest offer.

I've been following this and I think the whole Steorn thing is a lie.

Thermodynamics has proven conclusively that "overunity" (perpetual energy) is impossible, but what it did not disprove is that you can draw a pay cheque from flogging that dead horse. So Sean has science soundly beaten on that point. No big thing, how long has it been since Nietzsche declared that God is dead and yet organized religion still persists in all its multifarious forms?

From a logic aspect, to say it is deliberate fraud would be stupid. There was no need to give the demo if they knew it would fail thus making them appear stupid. They would simply have not given the demo.
That being said, the principal of the machine relies on a delicate touch application, such as would have no real commercial application even if running, at least not within our lifetimes where plastic lightweight bearings will always melt, at least warp, and with any commercial speed and weight would suffer the same heat.
I believe it probably did/does work, but a moot point.

As with many others companies with similar claims, Steorn will never release their technology.
Take the example of MPI. Since 2006 they are claiming they will release a commercial version of their products, and every year they postpone their launch to the next year. As long there is oil in this world, this kind of technology has no future. But I hope I'm wrong and I'll be able to see an energy revolution in my lifespan.