Electric school buses tapped to shore up fragile US power grids during summer heat
LOS ANGELES, July 3 (Reuters) – Schools are out for the summer, but the batteries in more than 200 electric school buses are helping some people in the U.S. find relief when temperatures soar.
From California to North Carolina, yellow electric school buses are sending power back to the grid, easing some strain when demand spikes during heat waves. Hundreds more are expected to come online.
The stored energy from school buses and other electric vehicles is dwarfed by power plants. But efforts to use their batteries to return power to electrical systems, known as Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), show how EVs could fortify strained power grids.
Fully deployed V2G projects involving about 230 of the nation’s roughly 6,700 electric school buses now have the capacity to supply about 8 megawatt-hours of power at a given time, according to the World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Electric School Bus Initiative.
By contrast, PJM, the largest U.S. regional grid, will need more than 160,000 megawatts of power this week to meet peak demand for 67 million people. Much of the U.S. this week has been sweltering under record-breaking temperatures .
“It’s very early days. School buses will be a critically important backbone of V2G capacity,” said Steve Letendre, senior advisor to the Vehicle Grid Integration Council trade association.
Electric school buses have large batteries, some exceeding 200 kilowatt-hours. They can charge when demand is low and send power back to the utility. They are often idle in the summer, when electricity demand surges.
At least 31 utilities and 21 U.S. states are involved in V2G school bus projects, WRI said.
The number of electric school buses on the road should more than double to around 14,625, or 3% of the total fleet, in the coming years, WRI data showed. Many of those will be V2G-enabled.
Still, capacity from V2G electric school bus projects needs to grow exponentially to make a meaningful difference.
Consulting firm ICF forecasts 445,000 megawatts of U.S. grid capacity additions through 2030, partly driven by the data center boom.
Technology Faces Multiple Barriers
V2G projects face hurdles including up-front costs and a lack of universal V2G technology. Regulatory frameworks and standards are years away. Electric-vehicle owners and operators face concerns that repeated charging and discharging of a battery could accelerate battery degradation, and that use of V2G could void a battery warranty.
Electric buses do not spew tailpipe pollution, but critics of vehicle electrification and government/public investment in alternative energy projects argue they could tax the grid. To combat that, many schools are leaning on solar energy for charging.
Golden State Drives Bus Initiative
California leads the U.S. in developing and adopting V2G school bus technology.
Its largest project is at the Oakland Unified School District, where Pacific Gas & Electric (PCG.N), opens new tab and transit provider Zum operate a fleet of 74 buses estimated to generate 2.1 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually.
A separate Zum project with the San Francisco Unified School District is set to launch next month. It is expected to surpass the Oakland project, with a starting fleet of 104 buses returning about 3 gigawatt-hours of energy annually during peak hours. The fleet will more than double to 238 electric buses in 2027-2028.
California mandates that electric school buses funded through state programs be equipped for Vehicle-to-Grid capability. It is funding some V2G infrastructure programs and has the state’s largest utilities — PG&E and Southern California Edison (EIX.N), opens new tab — as partners.
In Connecticut, the Branford Public Schools district will have 46 V2G-capable electric buses in August.
In North Carolina, Cherokee Boys Club will operate 21 electric school buses for tribally controlled Cherokee Central Schools. It has a V2G test program funded by Duke Energy (DUK.N), opens new tab. Cherokee Boys Club service manager Donnie Owle is working on a project to use the buses as generators for school buildings that double as emergency shelters.
Daniel Thomas, director of administrative services at South Florida’s Glades County School District, does not have funding for V2G but plans to use 13 Blue Bird (BLBD.O), opens new tab electric buses as cooling centers when the next hurricane strikes.
“We hope it never comes, but this is Florida,” Thomas said.
About Zum
Zum is revolutionizing mass mobility with its Connected Mobility Experience (Zum CMX) system that connects and coordinates people, vehicles, and operations in real time. In the $50 billion student mobility market — the largest segment of the mass mobility industry — Zum CMX is transforming a daily source of anxiety and disruption into a reliable, transparent, and efficient mobility experience for students and families. Today, more than 4,500 schools in 18 states rely on Zum CMX. Recognized globally for its innovative approach and operational execution, Zum has been named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies, CNBC Disruptor 50 and Changemakers, the World Economic Forum, and the Financial Times’ Fastest Growing Companies lists. Zum is backed by leading investors including Sequoia Capital, GIC, SoftBank, and TPG. Zum, Zum CMX, and associated logos are trademarks of Zum Services, Inc. All rights reserved. Learn more at www.ridezum.com.
About Zum
Zum is revolutionizing mass mobility with its Connected Mobility Experience (Zum CMX) system that connects and coordinates people, vehicles, and operations in real time. In the $50 billion student mobility market — the largest segment of the mass mobility industry — Zum CMX is transforming a daily source of anxiety and disruption into a reliable, transparent, and efficient mobility experience for students and families. Today, more than 4,500 schools in 18 states rely on Zum CMX. Recognized globally for its innovative approach and operational execution, Zum has been named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies, CNBC Disruptor 50 and Changemakers, the World Economic Forum, and the Financial Times’ Fastest Growing Companies lists. Zum is backed by leading investors including Sequoia Capital, GIC, SoftBank, and TPG. Zum, Zum CMX, and associated logos are trademarks of Zum Services, Inc. All rights reserved. Learn more at www.ridezum.com.
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