Student transportation and electrification provider First Student, along with energy supplier Con Edison, are spearheading the electrification of school buses in Brooklyn, New York.
Through the launch of their demonstration project, the companies will deploy a smart energy hub to support the speedy and cost-efficient electrification of school buses in the city. This project will deliver a scalable, cost-optimized solution that addresses economic barriers for medium- and heavy-duty fleet electrification.
This demonstration project will also include a fleet of 12 electric school buses for Brooklyn schools. Electric buses will be topped with solar panels and will replace diesel buses at First Student’s location on Malta Street. The panels, along with solar arrays on the rooftop of the facility, will create an energy generation, battery storage and power delivery system.
For this project, First Student will deploy its First Charge solution, a trenchless power deployment approach. First Charge reduces construction costs by at least 30% and enables a more efficient deployment, even in cold winter climates or where trenching would be disruptive to residents and businesses. This First Charge solution will also make it easier to upgrade the charging system for future deployments.
The project surpasses traditional vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, creating vehicle-to-everything (V2X) power sourcing. V2X goes beyond plugging electric school bus batteries back into the grid, expanding instead to include the capacity to direct electricity delivery where it is needed. In summer months, when buses are idle and energy needs soar, or during emergencies, the smart energy hub increases capacity, generating additional power for Con Edison.
“Harnessing electricity from First Student electric school bus batteries to create an emissions-free smart energy hub that can serve a community during peak demand while turbocharging America’s fight against climate change is truly revolutionary,” says First Student CEO and President John Kenning. “First Student’s unparalleled battery storage capacity and pioneering First Charge technology solves an immediate need in many American communities: affordable, clean electricity supply that expands the capabilities of existing power grids. We do this all while providing a better experience for students by putting more electric buses on the roads, creating a safer, more enjoyable ride that’s healthier for students and better for the environment.”
The demonstration project in Brooklyn comes as school bus electrification gains momentum nationwide. First Student has approximately 2,000 electric school buses under contract in school districts across the U.S. and more than 360 EVs deployed. The company co-designed the system using several charging technologies that can deliver megawatts of power instantaneously, enough to power 5,000 houses for a year.
“New York’s children and families deserve clean air, which is why we are proud to partner with First Student to launch more electric school buses on our streets,” says Britt Reichborn-Kjennerud, director of E-Mobility, Con Edison. “Con Edison will continue to make critical investments in clean energy so that every New Yorker can have a higher quality of life and thrive in communities free from the harmful impacts of pollution.”
Implementation of this charging technology is part of First Student’s larger electrification goals. The company has made a commitment to transition 30,000 fossil-fueled school buses to electric by 2035.
