How solar power is keeping one California community alive as the ground shifts

How solar power is keeping one California community alive as the ground shifts

by Bradley Bartz

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 17, 2024

The cliffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula have always been stunning, offering sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. But beneath the natural beauty of Portuguese Bend, a slow and terrifying force is at work. Here, in one of the most geologically unstable areas in California, the ground is in constant motion. The land is slipping into the sea at a rate of one foot per week, threatening homes and lives with every inch. The Portuguese Bend landslide, once a slow-moving anomaly, has accelerated into a full-scale disaster, and the consequences are being felt daily by the residents.

For those of us who call this place home, the landslide is not a hypothetical future threat-it’s a daily reality. The roadways buckle, driveways disappear, and utility lines fail. Southern California Edison (SCE), the local utility provider, announced a sudden shutoff of power and gas to more than 350 homes. In a cruel twist of fate, residents found themselves not only battling the land but also cut off from the essential services that tether them to modern life.

In the midst of this chaos, we at ABC Solar knew something had to be done. Our team has installed over 100 solar and battery systems in the region, but the landslide has turned this work into something more urgent, more vital. It was no longer just about helping homeowners go green-it became about survival.

Our first major site visit was at a Frank Lloyd Wright Jr. home perched above the shifting land. The house, with its futuristic design and sharp, arrow-like roofs, stood defiant against the forces below. Its driveway had become impassable, but the structure remained. We brought in Walrus Portable Battery Systems, each equipped with 30 kWh of storage, and linked them to solar panels. The owners, cut off from traditional power, now had a clean energy source that allowed them to keep the lights on, the fridge cold, and life moving forward.

And this was just the beginning.

As more homes lost power, our team worked around the clock. We deployed Walrus units to homes in the hardest-hit areas and set up temporary energy solutions. In the Sea View neighborhood, we created what nearly became a mini-grid, connecting six homes with 8 solar panels each, along with Walrus battery systems. Each day, we navigated new bumps in the road-literally. The land changed so fast that driving the same road twice meant encountering new twists and turns, fresh reminders of the ground’s instability.

The question that kept coming up wasn’t about the future of energy but the present: “Can I do my laundry today?” With each successful installation, the answer was “Yes.”

At the Portuguese Bend Riding Club, a sprawling horse ranch on Narcissa Drive, the story was much the same. Power was unreliable, and gas was shut off. When we arrived with two portable solar battery generators, it was clear this wasn’t just an inconvenience-it was a matter of safety. We hooked up the systems to power the refrigerators in two apartments and set the stage for a larger, more permanent solution. Then, at noon, Southern California Edison shut off the power to the entire property. But we didn’t miss a beat-the solar batteries took over without a hitch, bringing smiles and relief to everyone on-site.

In moments like this, the gravity of our work hit home. The loud hum of gas generators was everywhere-an unsettling reminder of the fragility of the grid and the pollution that came with it. Our mission became clear: to replace those generators with clean, quiet solar power. The transition wasn’t always easy. On a 100-degree day, when air conditioning was essential for health reasons, our systems had to stretch to their limits. But the Walrus units, backed by solar panels, rose to the challenge.

But this wasn’t just about deploying technology-it was about adapting to a new way of life. Off-grid living was foreign to many, and the psychological adjustment was just as real as the technical one. We saw it at the ranch, where 4 gas generators roared, drowning out thought and peace. But as our systems took over, the noise subsided, and a new quiet emerged. Solar power didn’t just keep the lights on-it restored a sense of normalcy.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be deploying more Sol-Ark 15kW inverters and Briggs and Stratton batteries, creating long-term solutions for homes in the landslide zone. These systems will provide not just backup power but independence-450 amps of clean energy service that can scale as needed. The future we’re building is one where the land may shift, but the power stays on.

As a neighbor in this community and the founder of ABC Solar, I’ve seen firsthand how disaster brings out both the worst and the best in systems. Southern California Edison’s threats to shut down the sewer systems sparked outrage, and rightly so. Luckily, Janice Hahn stepped in, ordering the county to keep the sewers running with generators. But it shouldn’t take a political intervention to keep basic utilities functioning. This is where renewable energy can and must step in-not just in moments of calm but in the thick of crisis.

The reality is stark: the landslide won’t stop. The homes will keep shifting, and the landscape will change. But the people here are resilient. With solar panels on their roofs and batteries in their garages, they are no longer waiting for the lights to flicker out. They are taking control of their power, their future, and their peace of mind.

For now, I roll solar batteries down the street and see the look of relief on my neighbors’ faces as the lights come back on. Each installation is a small victory against forces bigger than us. In the battle between land and life, we’re learning that the key to survival is energy-clean, renewable, and ours to keep.

Bradley Bartz is the founder and president of ABC Solar Incorporated. He lives in Rancho Palos Verdes and has been working in solar energy since 2000.