The A2ZERO Plan is centered around 7 overarching strategies:
- Powering our electrical grid with 100% renewable energy.
- Switching our appliances and vehicles from gasoline, diesel, propane, coal, and natural gas to electric.
- Significantly improving the energy efficiency of our homes, businesses, schools, places of worship, recreational sites, and government facilities.
- Reducing the miles we travel in our vehicles by at least 50%.
- Changing the way we use, reuse, and dispose of materials.
- Enhancing the resilience of our people and our place.
- Cross-cutting initiatives such as equity, engagement, and reporting.
Supporting these seven core strategies are 44 actions. Each year the City prioritizes which actions to advance based on funding, staffing, community interest, political support, and strategic opportunities. Fiscal Year 2021 priorities include:
- Conducting analysis of the energy pathways we
could implement to achieve 100% renewable energy powering our community. This
includes looking at development of a Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU), virtual
power purchase agreement, traditional municipalization effort, and more. Learn about this work and necessary next steps on this 15-minute video.
- Advancing usage of
renewable energy, energy efficiency, and batteries. Check out Ann Arbor Solarize and our Energy Criteria and Principles to learn more.
- Establishing an energy benchmarking standard (contact our Energy Analyst to learn more).
- Supporting state-level legislation to advance renewable energy adoption, including raising the 1% distributed generation cap, allowing community solar, supporting the return to net metering, and allowing microgriding.
- Expanding weatherization services to more residents.
- Launching a new Aging in Place Efficiently program.
- Creating an energy concierge service.
- Laying the foundation for a Green Business Challenge.
- Investing in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, an EV Readiness Ordinance, and transitioning the City's fleet to electric.
- Exploring a large solar project on the City's capped landfill.
- Continuing to partner with the Ann Arbor Housing Commission to develop net zero energy affordable housing units.
- Move the State of Michigan towards the adoption of the 2021 Building and Electrical Code.
- Create a Green Rental Efficiency standard.
- Advance the City's strategy towards creating neighborhood resilience.
- Launch a Neighborhood Ambassador program / A2ZERO Ambassador program.
- Support the Sustaining Ann Arbor Together grant program.
- Continue engaging with the community around carbon neutrality and sustainability.
- Launching the 10,000 Trees Initiative to enhance our urban tree canopy on private property.
To learn more or help support any of these initiatives, send a note to
[email protected].
