Volts Ann Arbor's experiment with a new kind of utility
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Jul 23, 2025 Missy Stults, Ann Arbor's Director of Sustainability and Innovations, is championing a groundbreaking municipal utility focused on renewable energy. She discusses the intricacies of creating a Sustainable Energy Utility, including the collaboration with DTE and innovative funding strategies. Topics dive into challenges like outdated infrastructure and balancing community needs with sustainable practices. Stults also highlights the importance of community involvement and the potential impacts of these initiatives on wider energy policy and climate goals.
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Ann Arbor's Novel Utility Model
- Ann Arbor created a new kind of municipal utility, the Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU), that works alongside the investor-owned utility DTE.
- This novel model offers distributed renewables without years of legal battles or infrastructure costs of full municipalization.
First Call to DTE Utility
- Missy Stults called DTE to inform them about the SEU; the conversation was neither confrontational nor joyful.
- DTE admitted they wouldn't provide 100% renewable energy or allow grid interconnection without a premium, which justified SEU's creation.
Community Energy Priorities
- Over 80% of Ann Arbor residents want reliable power, resilient power, affordability, and clean energy, regardless of demographic differences.
- The city’s educated population strongly accepts climate change and demands clean, resilient energy solutions.