Energy
Ann Arbor ballot proposal promises affordable access to renewable energy
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By Elinor Epperson
Ann Arbor proposed sustainable energy utility could save residents and commercial customers money on their electricity bills, according to a new report commissioned by the city. Residents of the Southeast Michigan city will vote in November on whether to establish an optional public utility that would use exclusively renewable energy generated by local systems. The project is part of its A2Zero program, which aims for carbon neutrality by 2030. If the proposal passes, it will be the first sustainable energy utility in Michigan. Similar utilities have operated in Delaware since 2007 and Washington D.C. since 2011. The report calculated cost savings based on how much it will cost the city to set up the utility and how many customers participate in the utility.