Eight electric school buses in San Diego are using vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology to make student transportation more accessible and affordable.

The Blue Bird low-emission vehicles are operating in Ramona using technology from cleantech company Nuvve Holding in a deal with the Ramona Unified School District.

The eight electric, zero-emission school buses are powered by DC fast chargers supplied by Nuvve and enabled with Nuvve’s GIVe V2G energy aggregation platform.

The parties have completed commissioning and interconnection activities with the local electrical infrastructure provided by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). As a result, the vehicles are qualified to generate revenues for the school district through SDG&E’s ELRP emergency load reduction programme by selling energy stored in the vehicles’ batteries back to the grid during times of high grid stress or emergencies as determined by the California Independent System Operator (Caiso).

This particular programme represents Blue Bird’s largest commercial V2G project for a school district to date. By participating in the ELRP, SDG&E customers can receive $2 per kWh, which equates to a potential savings of up to $7200 per bus per year, for verified export and load reduction.

The availability of grants, along with the US government’s recent announcement of the nearly $1bn clean school bus rebate programme, are facilitating the transition to zero-emission fleets for districts such as Ramona.

“The introduction of electric school buses helps put Ramona on the map by showing that even small communities are playing important roles in the creation of a safer, cleaner future for our children and the planet,” said Rena Seifts, assistant superintendent of Ramona Unified School District. “The data speak for themselves: if we don’t reduce our dependence on fossil fuels sooner than later, the younger generations here in Ramona and beyond will be stuck paying a hefty price.”

Since the buses run on electricity only, they produce zero harmful carbon emissions and particulate matter that’s typically emitted by traditional, combustion-fuelled buses. In addition, they can produce grid service revenue streams that benefit school districts any time the buses are parked and plugged in through Nuvve’s V2G technology.

“When a V2G interconnection occurs, the bus, charger and grid are essentially talking to each other,” said Gregory Poilasne, CEO of Nuvve. “This communication through our GIVe platform is essential: it monitors the amount of energy being sent to the grid, while ensuring there’s enough energy necessary for drivers to complete their routes the next day.”

SDG&E clean transportation director Jeni Reynolds added: “Electric school buses are a perfect match for V2G technology because of their large onboard batteries. These zero-emissions vehicles not only help improve air quality, they can also help meet our community’s energy needs by putting electricity back on the grid when parked.”

Blue Bird, whose electric fleet is fully compatible with Nuvve’s V2G technology, has delivered more than 700 electric school buses across the USA and Canada since 2018. With diesel prices at elevated levels, districts are seeking ways to begin switching to these buses while maintaining reliable transportation for students in low income or disadvantaged communities, in particular.

“Introducing Blue Bird zero-emission electric school buses into Ramona means that the school district puts student and community health first,” said Albert Burleigh, executive director of EV business development for Blue Bird. “We’re happy to see how Ramona is utilising grant funding to transition to clean, next-generation student transportation. With literally millions of dollars in grant funding currently available, it’s vital for other districts to look into ways they can electrify their fleets today.”

In 2020, Nuvve and Blue Bird announced a collaboration to introduce V2G-compatible electric buses to the US market and thereby intelligently integrate electric vehicles into the grid using Nuvve’s V2G platform. All Blue Bird type C and D electric buses come standard with Nuvve’s V2G integration capabilities which, when combined with a Nuvve-supplied V2G charging station, can store and discharge energy. The excess, stored energy across multiple buses can be combined to form virtual power plants that offer grid services that also generate revenue.

By using San Diego-based Nuvve’s V2G platform, districts such as Ramona can realise cost benefits by intelligently charging the buses when rates are low, allowing the district to sell the excess energy back to the grid when needed. Proceeds can help offset the upfront costs of charging infrastructure, allow districts to afford more electric school buses, and put money back into the classroom.