Photo: FranklinWH Ann Arbor is about to test a new way to power homes — and it could become a model for other cities. Starting this week, energy management company FranklinWH will begin installing solar + battery storage in homes across Ann Arbor, Michigan, as part of a pilot run by the city’s Ann Arbor Sustainable Energy Utility (A2SEU). A city-run utility tries something new This is the first time a US city-owned utility has directly bought and deployed residential solar and battery systems to support behind-the-meter energy use – that is, energy generated and used at home. The pilot’s purpose is to test distributed energy resources (DERs) to determine how they improve grid reliability, reduce energy bills, and expand access to locally generated clean power. Advertisement - scroll for more content Ann Arbor voters approved the creation of the Sustainable Energy Utility in November 2024. It’s an optional, community-owned utility that provides 100% locally generated renewable energy as a supplement to the existing grid. Focus on lowering energy bills The pilot will roll out in the Bryant neighborhood, where many households spend more than one-third of their income on utility bills. Ann Arbor participants who opt in will get rooftop solar paired with battery storage, which can store excess energy for use later — like during peak pricing hours or outages. The idea is to lower costs while also improving energy resilience for both individual homes and the broader community. 150 homes to start About 150 homes will get FranklinWH systems in the first phase, including the company’s aPower S battery. The city plans to expand the program to 1,000 homes by 2027, then to several thousand homes annually thereafter. Michigan Solar Solutions, Homeland Solar, and Oak Electric Service will handle the solar installations. Texture’s distributed energy management software will link the systems together, effectively turning them into a coordinated resource that can support the grid. FranklinWH already participates in more than 25 utility-led virtual power plant and demand response programs. This project brings that model to a city-run, residential scale. If Ann Arbor’s pilot is successful, it could offer a roadmap for other cities looking to modernize their energy systems while making clean energy more accessible. Read more: EIA: 80 GW of new solar, wind + storage capacity coming in 2026 If you’ve ever considered going solar, make it easy by finding a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing by checking out EnergySage. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online, and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. Stay up to date with the latest content by subscribing to Electrek on Google News. You’re reading Electrek— experts who break news about Tesla, electric vehicles, and green energy, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow Electrek on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our YouTube channel for the latest reviews.