A community in Michigan is embracing the latest clean energy innovations as it strives to reach its full potential as an all-electric neighborhood.
Smart Cities Dive reports that the community is in talks with a local utility provider, DTE, to establish a virtual power plant with stored energy from the neighborhood's batteries.
Veridian is a net-zero neighborhood in County Farm Park, Ann Arbor. The 170-home development has been optimized for energy efficiency. It's a joint venture between Thrive Collaborative and Sonnen.
With heat pumps, solar arrays, batteries, and charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, Veridian claims the community's eco-friendly set-up is the "equivalent of 2,000+ cars being taken off the road for 30 years."
Thrive Collaborative founder Matt Grocoff explained his company has had to perform "some education" to bring community members up to speed on the batteries' capabilities.
Those batteries could provide the key to unlocking the full potential of Veridian. Sonnen CEO, Blake Richetta, described the prospect as a win-win for DTE and the community:
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"[It] will cost DTE very little to make [the Veridian batteries] into a substantial value-producing asset in comparison to … grid infrastructure and power plants."
Going net-zero is obviously a positive development for the environment, and it's also a great deal for the residents as they'll save massively on utility bills. Depending on the location, solar panels can save homeowners as much as $168,000 over their lifespan. The price of solar energy has plummeted over the past fifty years, and as a mature technology, it's only going to get cheaper in the future.
One stumbling block for adopting solar energy is the initial cost and the difficulty of navigating state and federal incentives. It can be confusing, but fortunately, EnergySage offers free online tools to help you find the best deals in your area.
For some households, leasing makes more sense. With LightReach, there are no up-front costs, just a fixed bill for the duration of the lease, a good safeguard against inflation.
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Another eco-friendly upgrade that saves money is opting for a heat pump over a standard HVAC system, which reduces energy costs by approximately $400. Mitsubishi offers several affordable options, making it easy to get started.
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