Lights, Camera, Action! How Hollywood’s Biggest Studios are Ditching Diesel

Why solutions like HydroCharge™ are poised to lead the next stage of clean production power

The entertainment media industry is known for big, creative ideas, blockbuster storytelling, sweeping visuals, and massive production crews. Behind the scenes, powering those productions often requires something less glamorous: diesel.

For decades, diesel has been the default solution to power remote film sets, location shoots, and temporary electrical needs for film and TV. There has been a major shift, though, driven by climate goals and operational improvements. Now, some of the biggest names in media are proving that diesel doesn't need to be the default anymore.

Diesel has been hard to replace, until now.

Diesel and propane generators have long been the backbone of mobile production power, but they come with significant drawbacks:

• High emitters: Diesel accounts for roughly 15% of a typical production's carbon footprint.
• Noisy and disruptive: Diesel-powered machines can be loud, making them less ideal in populated or sound-sensitive settings.
• Toxic pollutants: Beyond greenhouse gases, they emit toxic air pollutants that affect crew and community health.
• Logistical complexity: Film studios are left to manage the logistics around delivering and storing fuel, along with refueling schedules.

A recent article by Trellis details how Amazon, Disney, and Netflix are leading efforts to transition production power off of diesel and toward cleaner, quieter alternatives. They're also finding that there are viable paths forward.

Clean, mobile power is taking center stage.

Amazon, for example, tested solar-powered trailers on the set of its Prime Video series, Fallout, generating nearly 5,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity over a 20-week period. Elsewhere, studios are experimenting with battery storage and hybrid systems.

One solution emerges with especially strong promise for high-demand environments where solar alone isn't practical: mobile, hydrogen power systems like HydroCharge.

Solar and batteries are strong tools, especially where predictable sun and partial grid access exist. But, they can struggle in long-duration, high-load, or grid-isolated scenarios that are common on location. HydroCharge is especially suited to demanding, logistics-driven environments like film sets, where:

• Power needs are high and variable
• Grid connections are unavailable or costly
• Downtime is expensive and inconvenient
• Clean and quiet operation matters

HydroCharge is production power for today and tomorrow.

The industry's shift away from diesel generators isn't just about emissions, it's about operational resilience and flexibility. This is effectively about setting the stage for a new category of mobile power solutions that are reliable, scalable, clean, and cost-competitive.

HydroCharge fits this model by providing dependable, mobile hydrogen power that meets production studios where they already are - without the grid or harmful emissions. Here's how HydroCharge stands out:

• Continuous, high-power output: Hydrogen power delivers sustained, reliable power even in the most rugged conditions, ideal for lighting, cameras, sound, and climate systems that have to run all day.
• Mobile and rapid deployment: HydroCharge units can be moved and repositioned quickly, just like traditional diesel generators without waiting for grid hookups or construction.
• Zero emissions and near-silent operation: Since hydrogen power produces only water vapor at the point of use, HydroCharge operates quietly, reducing interference with sound recording and on-set comfort.
• Real-world confidence and experience: Deploying HydroCharge gives production teams hands-on familiarity with hydrogen systems, helping drive broader confidence and adoption.

Clean, mobile power has wide appeal beyond Hollywood.

What starts on film sets can extend to many other sectors that similarly rely on temporary or remote power. From live events and concerts to construction sites, emergency response, and industrial operations, all of these applications benefit from the same qualities that make HydroCharge ideal for production: portability, high output, zero emissions, and operational flexibility.

Amazon, Disney, and Netflix studios are proving that diesel generators no longer have to be the default for production power. As the entertainment industry shifts toward cleaner technologies, mobility-focused hydrogen solutions like HydroCharge are positioned to play a leading role.

The future of production power is clean, quiet, and confident - and it's here today.

Contact us to learn more