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Renewables & Resilience

What About Renewable Energy & Resilience?

Renewable energy refers to energy provided freely from natural sources without the need for combustible fuel. Transitioning to renewable electricity generation and incorporating energy storage represents the culmination of building decarbonization. Though many forms of renewable energy exist (wind, hydroelectric, etc.) the use of solar power represents the most accessible choice for homes. Employing solar generation — especially when paired with battery storage — can cut costs, improve resilience, and reduce demand on the grid.

Renewables Rebate + Incentive Opportunities: Ann Arbor Solarize Program,Solar Tax Credit. Learn more about opportunities to save on decarbonization projects on our Rebates, Incentives, and Financing Page!

Solar Energy

With the continued advancement of solar technology and supportive government policies, solar energy is becoming an increasingly attractive and accessible option for residents. Transitioning to the use of solar energy offers a range of benefits, including cost savings, environmental sustainability, energy independence, and financial incentives. Keep in mind that investing in energy efficiency in your home before going solar will help ensure that your demand is as small as possible before adding or switching an energy source.

On-Site Solar
“On-site solar” generally means solar panels installed directly on a property, typically on rooftops or in yards. This approach provides the household with the opportunity to generate its own electricity and reap the full financial and environmental benefits of solar energy. On-site solar systems require upfront investment for equipment and installation but can offer significant long-term savings on electricity bills and increased property value.

Though solar energy presents numerous advantages, not every home is suitable for solar panel installation. Factors such as the type of roof, structural constraints, shading from trees, and upfront costs may prove to be barriers a household from installing solar. If your home isn’t a good candidate for installing solar, and you’re still interested in offsetting your electricity use with more sustainable options, look into the pathways below.
Voluntary Green Power Purchase Programs
Voluntary green power programs are initiatives that allow individuals, businesses, and organizations to support renewable energy generation by voluntarily purchasing renewable-energy credits (RECs) or investing in renewable energy projects. These programs are typically offered by utility companies (such as DTE’s MIGreenPower Program), renewable energy providers, or third-party organizations and are designed to give consumers the option to support clean energy sources, such as solar, wind, biomass, and hydroelectric power. Participants in voluntary green power programs can choose to offset a portion or all of their electricity usage with renewable energy, helping to reduce their carbon footprint and support the transition to a decarbonized energy system.
Community Solar
Community solar, sometimes known as shared solar or solar gardens, involves multiple participants sharing the benefits of a single solar array located off-site. Participants purchase or subscribe to a portion of the solar energy produced by the array and receive credits on their utility bills for their share of the energy production. Though community solar eliminates the need for upfront costs and maintenance associated with on-site solar, participants may receive slightly lower financial returns compared to owning their own system outright. Note: Michigan currently does not have legislation allowing for community solar. Community solar programs in Michigan are developed and managed through a local electric utility. DTE currently does not offer community solar options.

Energy Storage

Resource Alert! Ann Arbor Solarize is a community bulk-buy solar program that helps residents gather neighbors and friends together with participating solar installers to learn about residential solar, get questions answered, and provide the option to come together to bulk purchase solar - allowing for significant savings.

Because renewable energy is generally intermittent (i.e. the sun does not shine at night when you still need electricity), pairing renewables with storage allows users to save generated energy for when it is needed. Energy storage also allows users to optimize their interaction with the grid by taking advantage of varying time of use costs. And lastly, home energy storage allows a home to continue to operate for a limited time during grid blackouts.

Battery Storage
Battery storage systems are useful when paired with solar arrays. The equipment needed is an additional investment, but allows for greater flexibility and resilience, allowing users to more strategically interact with the grid and weather disruptions in power service.
Vehicle to Grid Storage
The technology is still emerging for this category, but an EV, having a sizable battery pack, can serve as an energy storage source for a home. If an EV is left to charge at work all day, ideally with solar energy, it may return home at night with close to a full charge, allowing it to serve as a supplemental power source or back up for a home. Keep an eye out for opportunities to implement this approach in the future.