NOVA: The Invisible Flame (BBC 1978)

Last edited Sat Dec 9, 2023, 03:47 PM - Edit history (1)

This 1980 episode of the PBS science program NOVA introduces hydrogen as an alternative to petroleum and natural gas. They look at safety, generation, transportation (pipelines and trucks) storage and use. They show vehicles converted to use hydrogen, including a proposed passenger jet and a “hydrogen home” with a hydrogen stove and oven. They also show a home “electrolyzer” for refueling your hydrogen powered car.

Near the end they look at fuel cells, saying that they would be more efficient than using hydrogen in an internal combustion engine and introduce a possible, looming concern, CO₂ and the possibility that it might lead to problems in as little as 10 years (8 years later, James Hansen would give his famous congressional testimony.) A prediction is made that at that time, a global effort will be made to move away from the use of “fossil fuels.”

In my opinion, it’s a balanced presentation, and worthwhile viewing for hydrogen advocates and skeptics alike. The science really has not changed all that much in 40+ years.

https://archive.org/details/NOVATheInvisibleFlame

I notice that while NOVA ran this in 1980, the BBC credit at the end gives a date of 1978.