East Arapahoe News

WASHINGTON —On May 10, 2023, Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06) and U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-CO) introduced the Bus Integration Dedicated to Improving Resilience, Eliminating Congestion, and Triggering Innovation Over Numerous Applications and Localities (BIDIRECTIONAL) Act. The legislation would create a program within the Department of Energy to equip electric school buses with bidirectional energy flow capability for school districts across the U.S.

Bidirectional energy flow, also known as vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, refers to vehicles with the ability to use their batteries to power the electrical grid when not being driven. Electric school buses are ideal for V2G applications because they have large batteries, sit idle for long, predictable periods, and operate in fleets.

Bidirectionality opens up a number of new opportunities on the grid. It can serve as a means of powering community centers or homes during prolonged grid outages. It can also serve as energy storage, allowing grid operators to smooth out variable sources of power generation like wind and solar, or fill in for facilities unable to meet energy needs, as happened during winter storms Uri and Elliott.

“Colorado was among the first in the nation to lead a successful pilot program that returns energy from electric school buses back to our power grid. Now is the time to bring our homegrown innovation to scale,” said Congressman Crow. “I look forward to advancing this legislation to save energy, reduce costs, and expand access to clean, renewable energy that will protect our environment for generations to come.”

“V2G buses help back up our grid, require less maintenance, and ensure cleaner air for our kids,” said Senator Hickenlooper. “This is how we power the future!”

“With this new technology, electric school buses can not only keep our air clean, but also put power back into the electric grid,” said Senator Bennet. “Our bill will help schools around the country follow Durango’s lead to implement innovative vehicle-to-grid systems that accelerate clean energy, cut pollution, and fight climate change.”

In Colorado, Durango’s 9-R School District, in partnership with La Plata Electric Association, leads the way in successful vehicle-to-grid deployment with their grant-funded pilot program purchase of a bidirectional energy bus.

The Crow-backed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law sent $5 billion to school districts to get their electric bus fleets off the ground.

The bill enjoys the support of Accelera by Cummins, Advanced Energy United, Blue Bird, Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy, Community Organization for Resource Efficiency (CORE), EDF, Electrification Coalition, Environment America, Highland Electric Fleets, Lion Electric, La Plata Electric Association, NRECA, Nuvve, PIRG, Proterra, RMI, Xcel Energy.

View quotes of support for the legislation from endorsing organizations HERE.

Original source can be found here.