From Clean Power to Community Preparedness: Ann Arbor’s Use of Sesame Solar Nanogrids

Key Takeaways

• Ann Arbor’s Nanogrid is more than backup power—it’s an educational tool, community asset and preparedness booster.
  
  
• Preparedness is cultural—the city is normalizing readiness through public demonstrations and community events.
  
  
• Resilience hubs gain stronger support—the Nanogrid keeps essential services online when the grid is down.
  
  
• Emergency response gains flexibility—the mobile unit can be deployed wherever it’s needed most.
  
  
• A model for other communities—Ann Arbor’s approach shows how Nanogrids can support both daily life and crisis planning.

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When the City of Ann Arbor announced its new Sesame Solar Mobile Nanogrid in September 2025, it wasn’t just bringing in a new piece of energy equipment. It was taking a practical step toward building a stronger, more self-reliant community.

The Nanogrid, a mobile trailer that generates and stores its own solar energy, can be deployed anywhere in the city—whether at a resilience hub, a neighborhood block party, or during a power outage. It’s not just about having electricity on hand; it’s about giving residents confidence that they can stay connected, keep services running and continue with daily life even when the grid is down.

“We are ecstatic to add this unit to our toolbox, helping us advance resilience, foster enhanced community engagement, and continue growing our culture of preparedness,”

— Dr. Missy Stults, Ann Arbor’s Director of Sustainability and Innovations

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A Classroom on Wheels

The city’s first move with the Nanogrid was to put it to work as a living learning lab. Instead of leaving this advanced technology in the background, Ann Arbor is taking it into neighborhoods. The unit travels to resilience hubs, schools, and community centers where residents can see how it operates, learn about solar and battery systems, and better understand what mobile power looks like in action.

For students, it’s an interactive experience that introduces new skills and sparks interest in energy innovation. For adults, it’s a chance to see a hands-on example of reliable, clean power in their own community.

Powering Everyday Events

The Nanogrid isn’t just for emergencies—it’s also powering community life. Picture a weekend movie night where the projector and sound system run on solar energy, or a neighborhood gathering where the music and lights don’t rely on a diesel generator.

By powering local events, the Nanogrid shows how mobile power can be quiet, clean, and dependable. These experiences make preparedness something positive and familiar—not just something people think about in worst-case scenarios.

Building a Culture of Preparedness

For Ann Arbor, the Nanogrid is more than a technical asset. It’s a tool for cultivating a culture of preparedness.

Preparedness goes beyond storing food or buying batteries. It’s about building habits, systems, and trust that keep people safe and connected when disruptions happen. Ann Arbor’s approach is to make preparedness part of everyday life—through education, engagement, and visible demonstrations of what’s possible.

Here’s how the Nanogrid helps:

• It can be stationed at resilience hubs to keep after-school programs, food distribution, or community support services running if the grid fails.
  
  
• It makes preparedness visible—when residents see local events powered by solar, it starts conversations about how to get their own households ready.
  
  
• It creates a sense of shared responsibility. Preparedness is no longer just an individual burden—it’s a community practice.
  
  

The Nanogrid is a stepping stone toward a city where preparedness isn’t a reaction to crisis, but a natural part of everyday life.

Ready When It Counts

Beyond powering education and events, the Nanogrid is also being integrated into Ann Arbor’s emergency response planning. The city’s Fire Department and Office of Emergency Management are testing deployment scenarios—using the Nanogrid in simulated outages and identifying how it can best support community needs.

Because it’s mobile and self-sufficient, the Nanogrid can be moved quickly to the hardest-hit areas. Whether it’s a cooling center during a heatwave, a charging station after storms, or a neighborhood hub when power lines go down, the Nanogrid gives Ann Arbor a flexible safety net.

A Practical Model for Other Cities

Ann Arbor’s use of Sesame Solar’s Nanogrid shows how mobile power can serve both everyday community life and emergency preparedness. By combining education, engagement, and resilience in one tool, the city is proving that preparedness doesn’t have to be about fear or scarcity—it can be about confidence, connection and continuity.

Other municipalities can follow this example. A single Nanogrid can strengthen local hubs, demonstrate reliable clean energy in action, and provide peace of mind during disruptions. It’s a practical, replicable model for communities of all sizes.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. How is a Sesame Solar Nanogrid different from a diesel generator?

Diesel generators require fuel, create noise, and emit exhaust, while Sesame Solar’s Nanogrid is powered entirely by solar energy with battery storage. This means it operates quietly, produces no emissions, and doesn’t rely on fuel deliveries. It’s also mobile, allowing cities like Ann Arbor to deploy it wherever it’s needed—something a fixed generator can’t easily do. For community events and emergency scenarios alike, that flexibility makes a real difference.

2. How does the Nanogrid support Ann Arbor’s preparedness goals?

The Nanogrid helps the city make preparedness part of everyday life. At resilience hubs, it can keep programs and services running during outages. At events, it demonstrates how local power can work without relying on the grid. These visible examples encourage households to think about their own preparedness strategies, while also reinforcing that the city is investing in reliable backup solutions. Preparedness becomes less about fear and more about confidence.

3. Can the Nanogrid provide real emergency support during outages?

Yes. The Nanogrid is designed to operate independently of the grid, with battery storage that can keep essential services powered during outages. Ann Arbor’s emergency teams are already piloting scenarios to determine the best ways to use it in real crises—whether that means supporting a cooling center, powering a food distribution site, or providing a neighborhood charging station. Its mobility allows it to be redeployed as situations evolve.

4. What are the community benefits outside of emergencies?

Residents benefit from having access to clean, reliable energy at everyday events like festivals, movie nights, and neighborhood gatherings. These positive, visible uses build familiarity with the technology and help foster community pride. For students, the Nanogrid offers hands-on educational opportunities, giving them exposure to renewable power systems and inspiring interest in future careers. The result is a city that’s not only prepared for disruptions but also more connected and engaged day to day.

5. Can other cities replicate Ann Arbor’s approach?

Absolutely. Ann Arbor’s strategy provides a straightforward model. By pairing mobile Nanogrids with resilience hubs, schools, and community events, any city can strengthen its emergency response capabilities while also building trust and awareness with residents. The key is making preparedness visible and accessible. When people see and experience solutions like the Nanogrid in action, preparedness becomes a shared value—not just an individual responsibility.

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