Solar power - Ann Arbor utility begins solar and storage pilot programme
As part of the programme, approximately 150 homes in Ann Arbor will be equipped with the FranklinWH System, including the aPower S battery
At a glance
Who: City of Ann Arbor; Ann Arbor Sustainable Energy Utility (A2SEU); FranklinWH Energy Storage.
What: FranklinWH is to power the first US City-owned residential solar and battery pilot programme for behind-the-meter energy use in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Why: To examine how distributed home energy resources can support grid reliability, reduce household energy costs and expand access to locally generated renewable power.
Where: Approximately 150 homes will be equipped with the FranklinWH System. The project is expected to expand to 1,000 homes in 2027, with additional scale planned in subsequent years.
FranklinWH Energy Storage has announced it will power the first US City-owned residential solar and battery pilot programme in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Intended as a new model for grid reliability and energy affordability, the programme is being led by the Ann Arbor Sustainable Energy Utility (A2SEU).
Distributed home energy resources
The initiative claims to be a first-of-its-kind pilot led by a US City-owned utility to purchase and deploy residential solar and battery systems for behind-the-meter energy use. The programme will examine how distributed home energy resources can support grid reliability, reduce household energy costs and expand access to locally generated renewable power.
The opt-in programme is available to residents in Ann Arbor’s Bryant neighbourhood, where, the utility reports, many households are energy-burdened, with some spending more than one-third of their income on utility bills. By pairing rooftop solar with battery storage, the programme is designed to reduce costs while improving energy resilience at the household and community level.
“Ann Arbor is showing how cities can play a leading role in advancing local energy solutions,” said Gary Lam, CEO and cofounder of FranklinWH. “By bringing solar and battery storage together through a City-led programme, residents can lower utility costs, improve reliability, and help ease pressure on the grid during peak demand. It reflects how cities and utilities are increasingly using local programmes to improve reliability and manage energy demand.”
“Paired with local solar generation, these systems will help us deliver more reliable, resilient energy across our community”
Ann Arbor voters approved the creation of the Sustainable Energy Utility in November 2024. The community-owned utility operates as an optional, supplemental energy provider, delivering 100 per cent locally generated renewable energy.
As part of the programme, approximately 150 homes will be equipped with the FranklinWH System, including the aPower S battery. The project is expected to expand to 1,000 homes in 2027, with additional scale planned in subsequent years.