a proven solar + storage + generator solution for california homeowners facing grid uncertainty
rancho palos verdes homeowners faced a growing risk of long-term power loss
For most homeowners, backup power is a precaution. For this community, it became a necessity almost overnight.
In parts of Rancho Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills, California, slow-moving landslides have begun to reshape daily life. What started decades ago as gradual ground movement has accelerated, forcing utilities to make difficult decisions about whether they can continue to safely provide service.
Faced with the real possibility of losing electricity, gas, and other essential services, homeowners turned to ABC Solar for a solution. By installing systems built around Sol-Ark 15K inverters, Briggs & Stratton® SimpliPHITM 6.6 batteries, and in some cases PowerProtectTM standby generators, they found a way to keep their homes running no matter what happens with the grid.
Original story: The Benefits of Solar + Storage + Generator: A Reliable Solution Amid Power Shutoffs
how landslides and utility shutoffs created an energy crisis for residents
The challenges in this community didn’t appear overnight. According to ABC Solar, the landslides date back to the 1950s, when roads were expanded in the area. For decades, movement was slow and manageable. But in recent years, it has accelerated into what the installer describes as a “slow-moving disaster.”
Homeowners began noticing cracks in walls, shifting ground, and subtle changes throughout their neighborhoods. Then the pace picked up, some areas seeing as much as half an inch of movement per week. With that came cascading infrastructure failures.
Water lines began to break. Gas service was shut off. Then came the warning many homeowners feared most: the electric company was considering cutting power as well.
For some residents, that warning came with little notice. “We didn’t have a lot of notice for when the power company decided to cut off the power. There wasn’t any time to prepare and shortly afterwards they cut our gas.”
In some areas, nearly 300 homes lost power entirely, with outages lasting for months. For families who had lived there for decades, the shift was sudden and disorienting.
“After 25 years I’m going, ‘why me?’ you know ‘why me?’ But at this point in time, I have to go that I’m not going to get gas and electric back I’m just going to have to live this way.” At that point, energy wasn’t about convenience, it was about maintaining a normal life.
The Challenge: maintaining reliable power without dependable utility service
Homeowners weren’t just dealing with outages. They were facing the loss of infrastructure altogether.
Key challenges included:
- Loss of utility services including electricity and gas
- Little to no warning before power shutoffs
- Extended outages lasting months, not days
- Environmental conditions that made repairs difficult or impossible
- Daily life disruptions, from cooking to climate control
Even when solar and batteries were installed, real-world conditions added another layer of complexity. Extended periods of fog, rain, and overcast skies sometimes lasting for multiple days, reduced solar production and made it difficult to keep batteries fully charged.
One homeowner described the experience:
“I didn’t have a generator at all. During a cloudy or rainy day … the batteries depleted and the whole house went dark and I’m going, oh this isn’t right.”
This meant that a single solution wasn’t enough. Homeowners needed a system that could adapt: one that combined solar, storage, and generator backup to ensure continuous power.
The Solution: A Complete Solar, Storage, and Generator Backup System
To meet these challenges, ABC Solar designed systems centered around Sol-Ark 15K hybrid inverters, paired with Briggs & Stratton SimpliPHI 6.6 batteries and, when needed, a Briggs & Stratton standby generator.
“What we like about the Sol-Ark and the Briggs & Stratton battery solution, it’s modular. So, as we learn what the home uses, we can add components and be able to keep all of the occupants happy.”
For the installer, battery storage wasn’t optional, it was essential.
“Some clients will try to get me to install systems without batteries and I won’t do it… Batteries are not just a part of a system; they are the system. They’re the vital part of them.”
Several factors made this solution the right fit:
- Complete system integration – Sol-Ark brings solar, batteries, grid, and generator together into one platform, allowing all components to work seamlessly.
- Whole-home power capability – Homeowners can run everyday appliances including ovens, HVAC systems, and more without major compromises.
- Scalable energy storage – Battery systems can be expanded over time to meet growing energy needs.
- Generator integration when needed – During extended low-solar conditions, a generator automatically supports the system, ensuring continuous operation.
- Proven, trusted brands – For many homeowners, trust played a major role.
“We had to find someone that we trust with our family and our finances. It’s a huge investment, probably second only to purchasing the home.”
results: reliable whole-home power during extended outages
For these homeowners, the outcome wasn’t just backup power, it was the ability to live normally again.
By combining solar, battery storage, and generator backup, they created systems that adapt to real-world conditions and keep their homes running no matter what.
Key results included:
- Power through long-term outages – Some homes have operated for months without grid power, maintaining full functionality.
- Seamless energy during changing conditions – Solar powers the home during sunny days, batteries carry the load overnight, and generators provide support during extended cloudy periods.
- Full-home usability – Homeowners can continue using major appliances like ovens, air conditioning, and more.
- Lower energy costs when grid is available – One homeowner reduced their summer energy bill from $500–$600 per month to around $50.
- Reliable generator support – When needed, generators provide backup without disrupting daily life.
- Confidence and peace of mind – Homeowners no longer worry about losing power or being unprepared.
“The technology allows you to be off the grid and completely normal.”
In the end, these systems didn’t just replace the grid, they replaced the uncertainty that came with it.
