The former is a milestone for the latter. In order to demonstrate that net energy for the process is even possible, they have to show that the ignition can be breakeven. By analogy they have to show that combustion is possible before spending even more money on building a giant gas fired power plant.
It's a small milestone, but it's a very important stepping stone if there's going to be any future for it. Getting it to the commercial power plant stage is a much more holistic problem that will probably take 10x more investment which no one wants to spend sight unseen.
It's a small milestone, but it's a very important stepping stone if there's going to be any future for it. Getting it to the commercial power plant stage is a much more holistic problem that will probably take 10x more investment which no one wants to spend sight unseen.