Just come up with page after page of spiffy graphics, throw in some flashing lights, and get a motormouthed pitchman on stage to flash a megawatt grin via capped teeth to sell it. I might point out that ex preachers are really good at this. Then bring out the endearingly socially awkward CEO who seals the deal as a shy scientist who uses language nobody understands.

Civic leaders from city councils to Middle East oil potentates are often eager to loosen the purse strings, funding various studies, the first of which tells them within 5 minutes the project is totlal codswallop and that they've paid out millions in civic funds for a bunch of pretty pictures because none of it can be built, nor should it ever be built.

If only they'd all stayed awake during middle school science classes.