Lack of research funding due to the underhanded tactics of "high energy" physicists and their allies (that would be you and the rest of the skeptopaths).
So even if they get the money, they have no problem to work on.
LOL. You're a riot lately. You youself said that LENR doesn't conform to any known theory. Since LENR now has been shown to be a real phenomenon, coming up with the theoretical explanation that explains the measured data seems like a problem worthy of any honest physicist. Or did you perhaps think that theoretical sorts don't get/need funding??
And then there's all the engineering needed to scale up and make reliable products. This is certainly happening now, but that process can and should be accelerated by increasing funding. By any sane standards, with the evidence now in hand, we should have a "Manhattan Project" scale effort to bring the truly liberating discovery to all humanity.
Why not answer the question asked?? Which is the bigger failure, "hot fusion containment" or LENR?? But skeptopaths don't engage in honest debate.