How solar energy keeps a California community alive as the ground shifts
The cliffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula have always been breathtaking and offer beautiful 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 constantly moving. The land is sliding into the sea at a rate of a foot a week, threatening every inch of homes and lives. The Portuguese Bend landslide, once a slow-moving anomaly, has become a full-scale disaster, and the consequences are being felt daily by residents.
For those of us who call this place home, the landslide is not a hypothetical future threat; it is a daily reality. The roads buckle, driveways disappear and utility lines fail. Southern California Edison (SCE), the local energy provider, announced a sudden disconnection of power and gas to more than 350 homes. In a cruel twist of fate, residents not only found themselves fighting the land, but also cut off from the essential services that connect them to modern life.
In the midst of this chaos, we at ABC Solar knew something had to be done. Our team has installed more than 100 solar and battery systems in the region, but the landslide has made this work more urgent and vital. It was no longer just about helping homeowners go greener; it was about survival.
Our first major site visit was to a Frank Lloyd Wright Jr. home located above the shifting land. The house, with its futuristic design and sharp, arrow-like roofs, stood defiant against the forces below. The driveway had become impassable, but the structure survived. We brought in Walrus Portable Battery Systems, each equipped with 30 kWh of storage, and connected them to solar panels. Cut off from traditional power, the owners now had a clean energy source that allowed them to keep the lights on, the refrigerator cold, and life moving forward.
And this was just the beginning.
As more and 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 almost became a mini-grid, connecting six houses with eight solar panels each, along with Walrus battery systems. Every day we literally navigated new bumps in the road. The country was changing so quickly that driving the same road twice meant new twists and turns, new reminders of the ground’s instability.
The question that kept coming up wasn’t about the future of energy, but about the present: “Can I do my laundry today?” With every 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. The power was unreliable and the gas was turned off. When we arrived with two portable solar generators, it was clear that this was not just an inconvenience, but a matter of safety. We connected the systems to power the refrigerators in two apartments, paving the way for a larger, more permanent solution. Then, at noon, Southern California Edison shut off power to the entire property. But we didn’t miss anything: the solar batteries took over without any problems, bringing smiles and relief to everyone on site.
It was moments like these that made the seriousness of our work clear. The loud hum of gas generators could be heard everywhere, a disturbing reminder of the fragility of the power grid and the pollution that came with it. Our mission became clear: replace those generators with clean, quiet solar energy. The transition was not always easy. On a 100-degree day, when air conditioning was essential for health reasons, our systems were pushed to the limit. But the Walrus units, supported by solar panels, rose to the challenge.
But it wasn’t just about using technology; it was about adapting to a new way of life. Living off-grid was foreign to many, and the psychological adjustment was as real as the technical one. We saw it at the ranch, where four gas generators roared, drowning out thoughts and peace. But as our systems took over, the noise diminished and a new silence emerged. Solar energy not only kept the lights on, but also restored a sense of normalcy.
In the coming weeks we will deploy more Sol-Ark 15 kW inverters and Briggs and Stratton batteries, creating long-term solutions for homes in the landslide area. These systems will not only provide backup power, but also 450 amps of clean energy independence, which can be scaled up as needed. The future we are building is one where the land may shift, but the power stays on.
As a neighbor in this community and founder of ABC Solar, I have seen firsthand how disasters bring out both the worst and the best in systems. Southern California Edison’s threats to shut off the sewer system sparked outrage, and rightly so. Fortunately, Janice Hahn intervened and ordered the county to keep the sewers running with generators. But no political intervention would be needed to keep basic services functioning. This is where sustainable energy can and must intervene, not only in moments of calm, but also in the middle of a crisis.
The reality is stark: the landslide will not stop. The houses will continue to change and the landscape will change. But the people here are resilient. With solar panels on their roofs and batteries in their garages, they no longer wait for the lights to go out. They take control of their power, their future and their peace of mind.
For now, I’ll roll solar batteries down the street and see the relief on my neighbors’ faces when the lights come back on. Every installation is a small victory against forces bigger than us. In the battle between land and life, we learn that the key to survival is clean energy, renewable energy, and it is ours to preserve.
Bradley Bartz is the founder and president of ABC Solar Incorporated. He lives in Rancho Palos Verdes and has worked in solar energy since 2000.