Work

Financial Assessment of the Sustainability of Solar-Powered Electric School Buses in Vehicle-to-Grid Systems in the United States

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Transition to electric vehicles has accelerated in diverse consumer sectors all over the world. Electric School Buses (ESBs) are a particular area of interest due to their environmental and financial potential benefits, including Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) synergies. Storing electricity in times of lower demand to supply the grid at optimal times can provide significant sustainability benefits, among them a reduction in new generation capacity and financial revenue for battery owners. ESBs, with their high-capacity batteries, have significant potential to supply the grid in V2G systems. There are more than half a million school buses in the US, with a wide geographical distribution, which have significant idle times during school days and holidays. This presents very attractive investment possibilities, providing school districts with additional revenue and supplying local communities with sustainable electricity at high-demand times. This study develops a framework to financially evaluate sustainability of ESB V2G schemes in the US. It applies data analytics, GIS, and Business Intelligence to integrate and assess publicly available data to provide stakeholders with decision-making tools in selecting optimal locations and operation times for these projects. Results indicate that revenue for these projects is significant in most schools, with some locations generating very high revenue potential. Geospatial analysis for most locations and time frames indicates very promising results, with schools potentially receiving significant income from these systems. The framework provides, therefore, relevant information for stakeholders to make sustainable decisions on the development of these projects.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su17209002

Author: Francisco Haces-Fernandez

Institution: Texas A&M University – Kingsville

Language: English

Topic: Electric Vehicles and Infrastructure

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Sustainable cities and communities, Climate action, Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896