Home / Uses / Quiet power for a rural film shoot location

Power without the hum the sound recordist can hear

Film crews shooting in the countryside spend a lot of effort hiding generators behind hills and cables. This page looks at quiet hydrogen power for permanent or regular rural locations.

Where the noise problem bites

Every generator on a film set is a sound problem. Crews run cable runs hundreds of metres to keep the noise out of shot. A fuel cell has no engine, so the only sound is fans and pumps, which are much easier to hide. That makes it attractive for locations used again and again, such as a farm set or a period homestead that crews return to.

What it would keep running

LED lighting fixtures
Video village monitors
Camera and drone battery chargers
Catering fridges and urns
Base camp lighting

What 15 kW can and cannot light

Modern LED film lights are efficient. 15 kW covers a good number of LED fixtures, monitors at video village, battery chargers for cameras and drones, and a catering fridge. Large HMI lights for night exteriors, or big tungsten rigs, can draw far more, and they would still need generators.

Being clear about that matters. A production planning a big night shoot should not count on one 15 kW system. For smaller interiors and daytime work with LEDs, it is a good match, and a location owner could offer it as a feature.

How it works →

The H2OME loop: an electrolyser splits water into hydrogen, the hydrogen is stored in a tank for weeks, a fuel cell turns it into electricity for your home, and the water returns to the loop.

For location owners

A farm or heritage site that regularly hosts shoots could install the system as part of the property. It charges on off-peak power between bookings and holds hydrogen for weeks. Round trip efficiency is 30% or less, so the energy is dearer than the grid. The pitch to crews is quiet power on tap, not cheap power.

Questions

Can it power HMI lights?

Small HMIs might fit within 15 kW alongside monitors and chargers. Large ones for night exteriors draw much more and would still need generators or a larger setup. Productions should check their lighting plan with the gaffer before relying on it.

Is it really quieter than a silent generator?

There is no engine at all, only fans and pumps. That is quieter than any combustion generator, though nothing is totally silent. A sound recordist would still want it placed sensibly.

Can it travel with a production?

No. It is designed as a fixed installation, so it suits farm and homestead owners who host shoots regularly, rather than crews moving between locations. Crews would plug into a known tie-in point at the property instead of bringing their own generator truck.

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