The Next Big
Thing? Introduces viewers to
the fuel cell, which can produce pollution-free electricity
by combining hydrogen and oxygen; the only by-products
are water and heat. Firoz Rasul, president of Ballard
Power Systems, a leading fuel cell manufacturer,
says hydrogen fuel cells are the perfect non-polluting
power source for the 21st century—and not just for
cars. "I think the fuel for…the next 100 years
certainly is going to be hydrogen. The fuel cell has as
many applications as your imagination will allow you.
Wherever you can thaink of electricity, you can think
of a fuel cell. From a small one to provide power for
your laptop, to your home, to a hospital, to a car, to
a ship, to a train, and so on."
But fuel cells have been
around for 160 years. If they're so promising, why have
they taken so long to get our attention? The Next Big
Thing? answers this question by taking a fresh look
at the history of some crucial technologies that have
shaped our lives: the internal combustion engine, the
telephone, nuclear power, alternating current, and the
Internet. (Photo above: ZEV (Zero Emissions Vehicle) bus
in Vancouver)
Produced by Michael Schwarz
and Bill Jersey
