— Written by Shayna Berglas

MD Makes History with Largest Renewable Energy Bus Depot in the US

Get ready for a fleet of electric buses (EVs) powered by the sun and clean-burning hydrogen! This means quieter buses and less diesel in your face. 

The David F. Bone Equipment Maintenance and Transit Operations Center is undergoing a major transformation. By late 2025, it will be the nation's largest renewable energy-powered bus depot, thanks to a cutting-edge microgrid system. In case you are unfamiliar with microgrids, they are smaller, self-sufficient grids on smaller footprints, like a college campus, hospital complex, or in this case, a transit center. This project, spearheaded by AlphaStruxure, a leader in energy solutions, boasts several impressive features:

• A 5.65-megawatt microgrid: This self-contained system will generate clean electricity using a massive solar array.

• Electric bus chargers: The depot will be equipped to charge a fleet of zero-emission electric buses.

• Battery storage: Excess solar energy will be stored in batteries, ensuring a reliable power source even during cloudy days.

• On-site green hydrogen production: This innovative feature makes the Maryland depot the first on the East Coast to generate hydrogen fuel from renewable energy. Hydrogen will be used to power some of the depot's buses, offering an alternative to battery-powered EVs.

Island Mode Power: The beauty of this microgrid system is its ability to operate independently during power outages. This ensures continued operation and keeps the buses running, no matter what the weather throws their way.

Building a Greener Future, One Bus at a Time: This project is more than just a new depot; it's a blueprint for the future of sustainable transportation. Montgomery County, with its commitment to clean energy, is paving the way for other regions to follow suit.

Double the Impact: The David F. Bone project isn't the only green bus depot in Montgomery County. The Brookville Smart Energy Bus Depot, completed in 2022, was the county's first microgrid-powered depot, also developed by AlphaStruxure. Together, these two facilities will eventually power a fleet of approximately 335 zero-emission buses, significantly reducing the county's carbon footprint.

This is a monumental step forward in the fight against climate change. By investing in renewable energy and clean transportation, Maryland is proving that a sustainable future is not only possible, it's well underway.

Stay tuned for further updates! We'll be keeping a close eye on the progress of this groundbreaking project and sharing more details as they become available.

Want to learn more? Check out these resources:

• Nation's largest microgrid transit depot breaks ground in Maryland

• This Maryland county is building a huge green hydrogen bus depot microgrid

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