Napa Valley town that once rode out emergencies with diesel gets a clean-power backup
June 4, 2025
When the threat of wildfires has forced power to be cut in the tourist town of Calistoga, California, on the edge of Napa Valley, it’s meant firing up a bank of noisy, polluting diesel generators. But no longer. Calistoga is about to finish installing a first-of-its-kind system that combines hydrogen fuel cells and batteries for backup power. Experts say the technology has potential beyond simply delivering clean backup power in emergencies. They say it’s a steppingstone to supporting the electric grid any day of the year. As the system was undergoing its final tests recently, some residents of Calistoga said they were excited to have a clean and reliable energy solution that doesn’t rely on fossil fuels.
