Electric buses are a powerful solution for cleaner commutes, and one transportation expert has shared that they can do much more than reduce pollution on city streets.
Seth Kaplan, an energy consultant and former Conservation Law Foundation advocate, proposed converting bus garages into energy hubs that harness parked electric buses as giant community batteries, per CommonWealth Beacon. His idea turns the necessity of routine, overnight parking, and storage into a potential grid stabilization tool.
"There is a unique chance to capitalize on this moment of technological transition to meet a variety of environmental and community needs," Kaplan said about the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's delayed but advancing electric bus program.
The numbers tell a compelling story: A standard electric bus holds over 350 kilowatt-hours of power, with larger articulated buses storing more than 500 kilowatt-hours. The average Massachusetts home uses around 20 kilowatt-hours every day. Together, 100 buses parked overnight in a single depot could store enough electricity to power thousands of homes during peak demand periods.
Electric buses can charge their batteries by default when solar panels generate excess power and electricity costs less, reducing operational expenses. During evening peak electricity usage hours or extreme weather, the bus batteries could feed power back to the grid when communities need it most.
The approach would address two pressing challenges. Having more electric vehicles on the road reduces the exhaust pollution that causes health issues, and the garage-based battery network would strengthen grid reliability as demand surges.
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Energy experts have tested similar concepts in Beijing's municipal bus fleet and Stanford University's shuttle system. However, no transit agency has fully implemented buses as virtual power plants on a large scale.
Kaplan estimated that smart bus depot design could generate revenue by providing grid services, offsetting transportation costs while delivering cleaner air to communities. A state mandate requires all MBTA buses to be electric by 2040, creating a foundation for the idea.
Kaplan's concept shows how smart and innovative infrastructure investments could solve multiple challenges at the same time. With proper coordination among transit agencies, utilities, and technology partners, today's bus garages could become tomorrow's community power centers.
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