The question to ask is why are they making these claims now? Perhaps to lower resistance to the Green New Deal. There has to be a reason, and it’s not that it’s going to ever see the light of day.
Once Method X is shown to be viable, it reduces incentives to fund research into Y and Z, unless those are seen as equally viable.
The aliens are returning soon. The Canadians want it make money on their hidden technology before the free energy deal is made with the returning race.
Money,money, money, money... for both claims.
The General Fusion claim is considerably less persuasive.