CASE STUDY: The Nation’s Largest Renewable Energy Powered Bus Depot with On-Site Green Hyrdogen Production

Case Studies
2 min read

Montgomery County, MD

Case Studies
2 min read

Revolutionizing Sustainable Transportation: AlphaStruxure’s Hydrogen Powered Microgrid and Charging Solution

The challenge:

  • Montgomery County, Maryland is a national leader in responding to the challenge of climate change with goals to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 100% by 2035
  • The County wants to transform their Equipment Maintenance & Transit Operation Center (EMTOC) into a self-sustaining bus depot to power a mixed fleet of 200+ buses with renewable energy.
  • Incorporate green hydrogen production to support fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs) and enhance the county’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network.
  • Uninterrupted transit bus services under any power circumstances are required to ensure a ready supply of sustainable, resilient, and cost-effective power for the new bus fleet

Solution:

  • Montgomery County leveraged its progressive energy purchasing regulations to create a public-private partnership with AlphaStruxure to design, build, finance, own, and operate the Microgrid
  • The 7MW microgrid will consist of 5MW of solar, 2 MW/7.35 MWh battery energy storage, and 4.5 MW of charging capacity
  •  An on on-site electrolyzer powered by solar and battery energy storage will enable green hydrogen production to support FCEBs
  • The microgrid will be interconnected to the utility but engineered to operate in island mode, ensuring uninterrupted service during power disruptions
  • The solution is delivered at no upfront cost through a Energy as a Service agreement, ensuring predictable operating expenses and guaranteed performance for sustainability, resilience, and reliability

Results:

  • AlphaStruxure’s Energy as a Service model and integrated Microgrid helped Montgomery County become a leader in fleet electrification and a sustainability archetype for local governments across the country — all with zero capital outlay.
  • On-site renewable energy generation and battery energy storage solutions provide peace of mind for the County’s 1.1 million residents, ensuring buses can operate in the event of a main grid outage.
  • This project also advances the County’s goal of reducing carbon emissions 80% by 2027, and 100% by 2035 with a 4,000 metric ton reduction in scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions
  • The largest self sustaining bus depot in the nation, powered by renewable energy
  • The first on the east coast to feature green hydrogen production
  • Long-term cost predictability of energy supply

AlphaStruxure is the industry’s top-ranked Energy as a Service (EaaS) provider. Its purpose is to decarbonize energy infrastructure at speed and scale. It’s on a mission to design, finance, build, own, operate, and maintain energy infrastructure, including microgrids, to deliver emissions reductions, reliability, and resilience. By doing so, the company helps public- and private-sector organizations achieve ambitious, tailored energy transformations — without the CapEx or complexity. 

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Are you a transit agency applying for the Low-No NOFO? Did you include charging and energy infrastructure in your application? Since FTA guidelines allow partnerships, including a proven energy and sustainability partner like AlphaStruxure can help your zero-emissions project stand right out.Oh. And you can bypass the RFP process while you’re at it. Learn how you can gain a competitive advantage for your Lo-No application and see how we can applying match funds to help you achieve your ambitious decarbonization goals. 

About the Author

Segment Expertise

No two energy transformation journeys are the same. Achieving unique business goals means creating and implementing a tailored action plan specific to your industry and individual targets.

energy service in mining

Helping energy-intensive facilities and supply chains to decarbonize rapidly and expand capacity, without waiting for the grid to catch up

Accelerating decarbonization and the electrified transportation transition for medium to heavy-duty fleets and other transit services

Achieving meaningful climate goals across mining, cement, metals, and glass, among others

Stabilizing long-term energy costs while achieving resilient, zero-carbon energy across pharma, biotech, medical devices, and hospitals

Generating fewer greenhouse gas emissions in the face of a growing global food demand in the snacks, dairy, meat, and beverage industries, and beyond

Creating positive and sustainable visitor experiences by reducing greenhouse gas emissions across energy-intensive entertainment facilities

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