An earlier version of the story wrongly stated that Montgomery County had purchased the microgrid from AlphaStruxure in advance and would reimburse the new network by selling the income from the electricity it generated. AlphaStruxure has raised capital to build the microgrid infrastructure, and the county will pay it back in monthly installments over 25 years along with the energy bill. This story has been updated.
The first microgrid to power electric buses is about to make its debut in the Washington region as shipping agencies across the country are increasingly looking at the sun – rather than diesel – to power their fleets.
The system will go live in September, supplying the growing number of electric buses in the Ride On transit system in Montgomery County. The Silver Spring facility will be the first facility in the DC region to use microgrid technology and one of the earliest facilities of its kind in the country.
The microgrid will use energy from the solar panels in the bus depot and not from the traditional electricity grid – a process used by most transport agencies with electric buses. The transformation comes as jurisdictions across the country want to electrify their bus fleets to fight climate change and amid the financial gratuities of last year’s infrastructure law, which includes $ 109 billion in transit.
The emphasis on the Maryland project comes from the county’s climate goals of making public vehicles zero emission by 2035. The county expects to add 10 electric buses to its existing fleet of over 370 gas-powered buses. at the end of summer and expects to buy 100 more by the end of 2023.
The bus depot in Brookville will eventually charge up to 70 buses. The county wants to install microgrid devices in more bus depots to accommodate its growing fleet.
“This is the kind of thing we need to do to meet our climate goals,” Montgomery County Director Marc Elrich (D) said on a recent tour of the Brookville depot. “The grid is clean, so the cleaner the energy we use as a source, the more likely we are to be successful in reducing total greenhouse gas emissions. That is the goal. “
The county funded the project through a public-private partnership with AlphaStruxure, a joint venture between the Carlyle Group, an asset management company, and energy supplier Schneider Electric. AlphaStruxure has raised capital to build the microgrid infrastructure, and the county will pay it back in monthly installments over 25 years along with the energy bill.
The county bought the buses using a grant from the Federal Transportation Administration, said Calvin Jones, head of the Montgomery County Fleet Management Services division.
Brookville Bus Depot will be the first microgrid in the county to be used for transportation purposes, although the technology is used elsewhere in Montgomery. The county’s public safety headquarters are powered by micro-grids, while the county also plans to use micro-grids at Gaithersburg’s bus depot and Animal Services headquarters.
Solar panel roofing across the bus depot will capture energy for charging bus batteries. The microgrid can store energy from solar panels, natural gas power generation and energy services, Jones said.
The microgrid has also been designed to withstand natural disasters and electrical disruptions.
The process of electrifying bus fleets across the country is “slow,” said Sebastian Castellanos, senior research fellow at the Ross Center for Sustainable Cities at the World Resource Institute. The technology has been around for years, but said transit agencies need to move beyond testing and pilots for deployment.
“Diesel and gasoline engines are very inefficient machines,” said Castellanos. “Even if the network is not 100 percent clean, the efficiency gains for the most part are sufficient to offset any additional grid emissions.”
The biggest obstacle to hauling agencies in electrifying their fleet is upfront costs, he said, adding that the Infrastructure Act – which allocates $ 5.6 billion to help agencies switch to low- or zero-emission buses and purchase maintenance infrastructure – would help.
Metrobus has committed to making its fleet of 1,500 zero-emission buses by 2045. The agency said in April that it plans to purchase 12 electric buses this year. The metro has one fully electric bus.
A public-private partnership may not make sense for all jurisdictions, Castellanos said. Larger jurisdictions wishing to undertake technical projects may prefer to run these projects themselves, while others may benefit from paying a private company to handle the logistics.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, transport is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, which contributes to the rise in temperature. However, as an industry, a significant proportion of global emissions come from passenger vehicles, which makes the application of broad policies difficult. Castellanos said an environmentally friendly policy that increases transit “has the greatest bang for your buck.”
“Transit buses in particular cover considerably more kilometers than a regular car,” he said. “Not only that, but they carry a lot more passengers.”
Other transit agencies are looking at similar partnerships to electrify fleets. Metrobus is considering public-private partnerships to support the transition to zero emissions. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is one of the newest agencies to announce microgrid plans.
“I think we are in a very similar situation to Montgomery County,” said Adam Burger, senior transportation planner at VTA. “The difference we have is that the state of California requires all shipping agencies to move to a zero-emission fleet by 2040, so this is the fire beneath us.”
VTA contracts with private companies and will pay for the microgrid infrastructure by the end of the project. It plans to fund the project with a $ 4.7 million grant from the California Energy Commission.
“Many of our peers have projects similar to what we do, and fortunately private industry becomes our partner in these matters and provides knowledge we do not have,” said Burger.
Externally, there are few differences between Montgomery County’s new electric buses and the existing diesel vehicle fleet, except for their rounded edges and a slightly smaller frame. But driving an electric bus is a completely different experience, say the drivers and passengers.
Andre Morrison, 53, has been a Montgomery Ride On driver for 29 years and was the first to receive an electric bus route in 2019.
“The bus itself is a completely different drive,” he said. “It’s very quiet, so you know, it really puts you off at first. On day one, you really didn’t know what to expect as you didn’t know if the bus was on or off.
He said drivers agree that electric buses are more fun to drive. The suspension system on the electric bus minimizes jerks and bumps, alleviating discomfort.
“Your body just isn’t comfortable” on a diesel bus, he said. “You really feel like you’re in the boxing ring … when you get in from there, man, your body just hurts.”
He said the riders gave Morrison generally positive feedback. Most say they appreciate the quiet and smooth ride.
“They usually make noise and these don’t,” said David Johnson, 62, driving one of the county’s four electric buses this morning. “This is better. A smooth ride and a lot more fun.”
Morrison said he was particularly excited about the county’s latest electric bus order, which is a slightly larger model that will include updated safety and design features. The appeal of buses goes beyond their new features and comfort, he said: it is the path to a greener future.
“This is the future here when it comes to saving the planet,” he said. “This is where we should go.”
Can you charge an electric vehicle with solar?
Combining home solar panels with an electric vehicle has many advantages – in particular to maximize savings. This may interest you : Explain how solar energy is generated ?. By using the energy generated by the solar system, you can fully charge your electric vehicle in a matter of hours and save up to $ 1,000 a year compared to running a gas powered car.
How long would it take to charge an electric car with a solar panel? Charges the vehicle by 85% (from 15% to 100%) in 8 hours. One hour of charging would provide around 30 miles of additional range.
Can I charge my electric car with solar power?
Can solar panels be used to charge electric cars? The simple answer is yes, the solar installation will charge your electric car as well as supply energy to the rest of your household appliances. Read also : Solar turbines san diego locations. Even a small array of solar panels with just 10 solar panels can provide enough power to charge a vehicle’s battery.
How long would it take to charge an electric car with a solar panel?
EV Solar Charging Explained A 120V outlet will only accelerate around 4mph and will take a full 8-16 hours to fully charge.
How many solar panels would it take to charge an electric car?
SolarReviews estimates that five solar panels are needed to charge an electric vehicle. According to the US Department of Transportation, the average American drives about 13,500 miles a year, or about 40 miles a day.
How many solar panels would it take to charge an electric car?
SolarReviews estimates that five solar panels are needed to charge an electric vehicle. According to the US Department of Transportation, the average American drives about 13,500 miles a year, or about 40 miles a day.
How long would it take to charge an electric car with a solar panel?
EV Solar Charging Explained A 120V outlet will only accelerate around 4mph and will take a full 8-16 hours to fully charge.
How big does a solar panel need to be to power a car?
To be safe, let’s take the minimum to give us a careful estimate. If one cheap solar panel can produce around 1kWh of AC electricity per day, it means you need an astonishing 75 solar panels to produce enough electricity to power your Tesla Model S for 100% efficiency from 0% every day.
How many solar panels are needed to charge a Tesla?
About 10 solar panels are needed to charge a Tesla. The question of how long it takes to charge a Tesla with solar energy depends on the kW of the system and the number of panels needed to meet the greater demand.
What defines solar energy?
Solar energy is any type of energy produced by the sun. Solar energy is produced by nuclear fusion in the sun. Fusion occurs when the protons of the hydrogen atoms violently collide in the core of the Sun and combine to form a helium atom.
What kind of energy is solar energy? Solar energy is harnessed from the sun in the form of electromagnetic radiation (light, heat and ultraviolet rays). Thanks to the installation of solar panels or collectors, it can be used to capture thermal energy (photothermal) or to generate electricity (photovoltaics).
How would you define solar energy?
Solar energy is any type of energy produced by the sun. Solar energy can be used directly or indirectly for human use. These roof mounted solar panels in Germany collect solar energy and turn it into electricity.
What is the definition of solar energy for kids?
Solar energy is basically the energy of sunlight. Homes, greenhouses and other buildings can use passive solar construction, which means direct use of solar energy or solar cells, also known as photovoltaic cells, which are devices that convert solar energy into electricity.
What is solar energy and examples?
Solar energy is the energy or heat that comes from the sun. An example of solar energy is solar energy that powers a car. An example of solar energy is placing windows on the east side of your home to catch the morning sun and heat your home.
Can you run a bus on solar panels?
Solar panels in buses. FlixBus starts a new project with Dutch partner Kupers Touringcars. The solar panels installed in the bus are used to keep the battery charged: all on-board equipment is then powered by solar energy. The novelty allowed for a reduction of 7 percent. diesel fuel consumption.
How much solar energy is needed to power a bus? The Skoolie will require anywhere from 320 watts to 2400 watts of solar energy. It is extremely important to size the system according to your power needs, type of trip and geographic location. Some skoolies only need a few hundred watts to power everything on board, while others require thousands of watts.
Can you charge an electric bus with solar panels?
So we wondered if it was possible to charge an electric vehicle from solar panels? The simple answer is yes, you can charge an electric vehicle from the on-board solar panels.
Can buses be solar powered?
Solar Roof Bus A solar bus or solar powered bus is a bus that is mainly powered by solar energy. Solar panels with photovoltaic cells are attached to the roof of the vehicle. Converts solar energy directly into electricity used by the engine.
Can you charge an electric car with portable solar panels?
Going back to the big question, yes, a solar installation has the power to charge an electric car, even with a small system of around 10 solar panels.
How do you install solar panels on a bus?
How do you mount a solar panel on a bus roof?
Horizontally, parallel to the ground The best mounting position for solar panels on a Skoola is to be horizontal, flat on the roof, parallel to the ground, unless you plan on making some fancy hinges to point them towards the sun.
How do you install solar panels step by step?
The following steps explain the installation of solar panels on the roof:
- Set up the scaffolding. …
- Install solar panel holders. …
- Install solar panels. …
- Connect the solar panels. …
- Install the solar inverter. …
- Bond Solar Inverter and a solar battery. …
- Connect the inverter to the utility unit. …
- Run and test the solar panels.
Can buses have solar panels?
Solar buses around the world To be carbon neutral by 2030, FlixBus has launched buses equipped with solar panels. FlixBus uses ultra-thin and light sun mats in its buses. These solar mats keep the battery charged. The alternator does not need to be charged with fuel.
Can buses be solar powered?
Solar Roof Bus A solar bus or solar powered bus is a bus that is mainly powered by solar energy. Solar panels with photovoltaic cells are attached to the roof of the vehicle. Converts solar energy directly into electricity used by the engine.
Can an electric bus be charged with solar panels? So we wondered if it was possible to charge an electric vehicle from solar panels? The simple answer is yes, you can charge an electric vehicle from the on-board solar panels.
Are there solar powered buses?
Sono Motors, an electric vehicle manufacturer focused on integrating photovoltaics with transport, has announced that it has deployed its solar technology to its municipal bus fleet in Munich, Germany. The buses will be linked to a trailer with 20 semi-flexible solar panels.
Are solar roadways real?
The solar ways are complicated to implement, but in concept they are as simple as they seem. These are roads “paved” with extremely strong solar panels, which are covered with glass that is able to withstand the environmental factors and the weight of vehicles constantly running on them.
Can solar power be used for transportation?
An innovative practice for the efficient use of sunlight is transport powered by photovoltaic energy (PV). Railways, subways, buses, planes, cars and even roads can all be powered by solar energy, and solar transit is becoming a popular offer in the renewable energy sector.
What are the disadvantages of solar powered vehicles?
Suspension, chassis strength, steering, brakes, secured solar panels and battery placement also need to be taken seriously. Expensive Batteries: Efficient solar panels and batteries and their replacement are too expensive and have to be replaced so often.
How is solar used for transportation?
Solar panels are installed at bus stops to collect energy during the day and then use the generated energy to illuminate promotional panels and information boards in the evening / night hours.