Ann Arbor Sustainable Energy Utility selects first vendors as customer launch nears

The Ann Arbor Sustainable Energy Utility is making progress to bring clean, renewable energy to city residents and businesses. The SEU has selected its first equipment vendors and installation contractors to help launch operations for its 2026 pilot.

Thanks to grant funding, the SEU will be installing “solar plus storage” systems on an estimated 100 or more homes in the Bryant neighborhood, as part of a broader, multiyear, collaborative effort in that community. Residents who elect this service will become the SEU’s first customers, each one helping to create a transformative energy utility model of the future.

The Ann Arbor Sustainable Energy Utility is an innovative new form of municipal energy utility. It is optional, supplemental (customers will remain connected to the current grid), community-owned and will provide residents and businesses with 100% local, renewable and clean energy solutions. Ann Arbor voters authorized the creation of the city’s Sustainable Energy Utility in November 2024.

Customers in the Bryant pilot will receive an aPower S home battery from FranklinWH and a solar photovoltaic system with REC Alpha Pure-RX panels procured from Michigan Solar Solutions. Michigan Solar Solutions, Homeland Solar and Oak Electric will perform installations under contract for the city. All three installers have extensive experience deploying solar throughout Ann Arbor and southeast Michigan. Homeland and Oak have also been providers in the city’s Solarize program.

The SEU selected its core equipment for this pilot through a competitive request-for-proposal process to ensure a balance of great technical performance, high-quality service and a competitive price point.

In addition to its 15 kWh home battery solution, which will help maximize the value of solar generation and provide substantial backup power in a grid outage, FranklinWH will provide the SEU with battery monitoring and control through Texture, a distributed energy asset management software.

“As we prepare to launch the SEU’s very first operations, we have amazing partners in the Bryant neighborhood from the residents and the Community Action Network team,” said Executive Director Shoshannah Lenski. "And now we have a team of qualified and deeply committed equipment and service providers who are ready to deliver the future of energy.”

Following pilot installations in 2026, the SEU plans to scale throughout the city in 2027 and beyond. Residents and businesses can learn more and express interest in service – with no commitment required – at a2seu.com.

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Media Contact: 

Shoshannah Lenski, Executive Director, Sustainable Energy Utility, slenski@a2gov.org