Analyzing School Bus Electrification in Richmond, Virginia

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

School buses are an essential component of the transportation infrastructure, serving as a lifeline for students across the globe. However, the widespread use of diesel school buses has raised concerns about the health impact on millions of students exposed to harmful emissions daily. Recognizing this issue, school districts worldwide are urgently seeking cleaner energy alternatives. Electric school buses emerge as an environmentally friendly and sustainable option, fostering a healthier environment for both students and communities. However, school bus electrification faces the challenges of high upfront cost, cumbersome charging management, and constraints from power grids. To help school bus operators address those challenges, this study presents a data-driven analysis for school bus electrification. This study considered a real-world school bus system in Richmond, VA, and developed a mathematical programming model to analyze the system design, charging strategies, and charging load profiles for the electrification scenario. The study evaluated different charging strategies based on model outcomes, aiming to optimize efficiency and effectiveness. Ultimately, this research generated electric school bus charging demand profiles under various scenarios, shedding light on the feasibility and implications of transitioning to electric-powered school buses.
Original languageAmerican English
JournalTransportation Research Record
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/JA-5400-88617

Keywords

  • alternative transportation fuels and technologies
  • buses
  • decision tools
  • electric and hybrid-electric vehicles
  • transportation energy
  • transportation planning analysis and application

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