PSPS, storms, and the occasional vehicle-into-pole event mean Sonoma County businesses lose grid power often enough to plan for it. The right backup design is rarely 'biggest generator we can fit' — it's the smallest system that keeps your operation running.
Step 1 — define what 'running' means for you
A coffee shop running means espresso machine, lights, registers, walk-in. A medical office running means lights, computers, and HVAC for clinical rooms. A restaurant running might mean walk-in only — close the front of the house. Define this before you size anything.
Standby generators — Generac, Kohler, Cummins
Standby gensets sit outside on a pad, run on natural gas or propane, and start automatically when the grid drops via an automatic transfer switch (ATS). Sized correctly, they run indefinitely as long as fuel flows. We install 22 kW, 38 kW, 60 kW, and up routinely.
Battery + solar — when it makes sense
If you already have solar, batteries (Tesla Powerwall, Generac PWRcell, sonnenCore) let you island during outages and use solar to recharge. For 4-hour PSPS events, batteries are silent and elegant. For multi-day outages, you either need a lot of batteries or a generator backup behind them.
Automatic vs. manual transfer
ATS = the system switches itself in <30 seconds when grid drops. Worth it for any business that loses revenue by the minute. Manual transfer switches are cheaper but require someone on-site to flip them — fine for backup-of-backup.
Sizing — the quiet skill
Right-sizing requires a load study with peak demand, motor starting loads, and your priority list. Oversized gensets cost more, run hot at low load (which damages them), and waste fuel. Undersized gensets trip and frustrate you. Get the sizing right.
Permits, code, and quiet hours
Sonoma County jurisdictions have noise ordinances and setback requirements for outdoor equipment. Some neighborhoods restrict generator runtime. We handle the permitting and the conversation with the jurisdiction.
Sonoma County · Since 1990
Talk to a licensed electrician about your commercial backup power.
Free estimates, same-day response, and a real person on the phone — usually the owner.
