Montgomery County ceremoniously broke ground Friday at its bus depot in Derwood for a project featuring solar arrays, electric bus chargers, and battery energy storage.
In about 15 months, the county will not only use electric energy but also create it. In a crisis, if the area loses power, the county’s Ride On buses will still be able to transport people.
When completed, the integrated microgrid project will be the largest renewable energy-powered zero-emission depot in the United States and the first on the East Coast to produce green hydrogen on-site.
The project is being built at the David F. Bone Equipment Maintenance and Transit Operation Center on Crabbs Branch Way.
The 5.65-megawatt microgrid project features solar arrays, electric bus chargers, and 2-megawatt battery energy storage. It includes a 1-megawatt hydrogen electrolyzer powered by onsite renewable energy.
The microgrid will produce green hydrogen needed to power hydrogen fuel cell electric buses.
“This is important stuff, and you are right here at the beginning of this,” declared David Dise, the county’s Director of General Services. When completed, the project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 51,000 metric tons over 25 years, which Dise said was “like taking 11,000 cars off the road.”
Speaking under a hot sun and before a crowd of county employees and representatives from various organizations involved in the projected, Executive Marc Elrich said, “Hydrogen buses and electric buses are the wave of the future.”
However, as important as this project is, government cannot solve the climate crisis alone, Elrich added. “We still have to get residents and businesses to make the switch.”
The federal government provided a $14.8 million grant, according to Elrich.
The project is expected to be completed by the Fall 2025. It will power 200 zero-emission buses by 2035.
Council President Andrew Friedson praised county officials for seeking partners and “leading by example, Montgomery County is beating Montgomery County’s own records. We are not just resting on our laurels.”
Juan Macias, CEO of Alpha Struxure, said he was pleased to be the county’s energy partner. His company also built the Brookville Maintenance Facility Shop.
Jeff Marootian, deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy, summed up the project, noting, “This is not only the future. This is today.”
Montgomery County "breaks ground" on its renewable enegy-powered transit depot Friday. When completed it will be the largest in the country @mymcmedia @MoCoCouncilMD @MontCoExec pic.twitter.com/r8SgQDqoPZ
— suzanne pollak (@SuzannePollak) June 14, 2024
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