Starring Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly, the hit Western series became the streamer's first project to run almost entirely on the sun, making production a breeze.

There are multiple reasons Netflix ’s drama series Ransom Canyon — starring Josh Duhamel , Minka Kelly and James Brolin in the story of three rival ranching families in Texas Hill Country — is about to have its moment in the sun.

For starters, the streaming show that launched April 17 is aiming to tap into a wave of viewer demand for soapy Westerns following the massive success of Paramount+’s Yellowstone . But more importantly, as the first Netflix production to power its base camp and catering almost entirely by the sun, Ransom Canyon is helping to expand the ways in which Hollywood projects can reduce their carbon footprints.

Based on author Jodi Thomas’ book series that debuted in 2015, the show from creator April Blair ( All American ) filmed much of its 10-episode first season at ranches scattered across 150 miles throughout New Mexico. Filming on location made the shoot an ideal fit for solar power, as did the state’s annual 300 days of sunshine, plus a general lack of trees and tall buildings. In place of diesel equipment, Ransom Canyon’ s set was largely run by solar-powered trailers, solar battery systems and large mobile batteries.

Ransom Canyon line producer Suzanne Geiger notes that this solar ring helped ensure that trucks at base camp stayed powered up over weekends. “We could also go out on these big ranches and be better neighbors because we were quieter and cleaner,” Geiger tells The Hollywood Reporter of the production that reduced its diesel generator fuel usage by more than 50 percent.

Hollywood has certainly made strides in its use of renewable energy since Warner Bros.’ 2010 blockbuster Inception from Christopher Nolan became the first studio feature to power a base camp with solar energy. Given that film and television productions account for 700,000 tons of carbon emissions annually, Disney and Netflix partnered on the Clean Mobile Power Initiative in 2023, with the goal of eliminating diesel generators from their sets.

For its part, Netflix has invested in testing out hydrogen power units on Bridgerton and using mobile batteries for Virgin River . The streaming service employs a sustainability team to partner with each of its productions and help introduce equipment like the kind used for Ransom Canyon.

“Historically, everything has been powered by fossil fuels,” says Shannon Bart, a member of the streamer’s sustainability staff. “What was so exciting about this solar ring setup is, they were able to [go without their fuel] generator for weeks on end.”

The show’s team spent a month restoring a storefront for Navajo Textiles in the town of Las Vegas, New Mexico, 130 miles from Netflix’s Albuquerque studios. While this would typically require a portable putt-putt generator, the team instead dropped in AC power and employed 5K Voltstack batteries. “There were little things that made huge differences,” Geiger emphasizes.

A few challenges have come with the advent of the changing technology, as some crewmembers and vendors could be quick to resist the new tech until realizing it ultimately makes their lives easier.

“As they see the advantages to it, they begin to embrace it,” Geiger says. “They see that it saves them in rigging time. They see that they can have the battery right next to set. That there is less wear and tear on the fuel generator, [which leads to] spending less on maintenance.”

Indeed, Geiger envisions a future where such modifications have become second nature. She adds, “I always say, it’s like when we switched from film to digital, and realizing the advantages to that and embracing it.”

This story appears in the April 2025 Sustainability digital issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to see the rest of the issue .