Sesame Solar

Sesame Solar is a Jackson, Michigan-based manufacturer (originally founded in Ann Arbor) of what it calls the world's first 100% renewable Mobile Nanogrids-compact, self-contained power stations that can be set up by a single person in under 15 minutes. The nanogrids integrate solar panels, green hydrogen fuel cells, and battery storage into a single deployable unit, providing fully off-grid, fuel-free power without any diesel or fossil-fuel dependency. Designed for both "dual-use" defense and commercial applications, the units serve as turnkey energy solutions for scenarios ranging from natural disaster response and emergency management to military forward-operating bases. Customers already include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Air Force, cities and counties, major broadband/telecom operators, and NGOs.

The technology's significance lies in its direct attack on a critical supply chain vulnerability: the need to transport fuel to the tactical edge or disaster zones, which is both operationally costly and strategically dangerous. By generating and storing hydrogen on-site using solar energy, Sesame's nanogrids eliminate the fuel convoy-historically one of the most dangerous and expensive elements of military logistics and disaster relief operations. Units scale from small trailer-mounted configurations to 40-foot deployable systems, and the City of Ann Arbor, for example, uses one named "ARBOR" for both community resilience and emergency preparedness.

For the U.S. energy supply chain, Sesame Solar represents a critical node at the lifecycle and resilience layer-demonstrating how distributed, self-generating renewable power can replace centralized grid dependency for essential services. Its recognition by Fast Company (2023 World's Most Innovative Companies), Time Magazine (Best Inventions 2023), Verizon's Climate Resilience Prize, and multiple defense innovation awards highlights its growing relevance in both the clean energy transition and national security contexts. With backing from Morgan Stanley, VSC Ventures, and PAX Angels, the company is gaining traction as a dual-use clean energy hardware platform manufactured entirely in the U.S.