Abstract:

With the adoption of zero-emission buses increasing across the United States, transit agencies are faced with real challenges for future energy management and increasingly detrimental consequences in the event of utility grid outages. Microgrids, which are systems that use a variety of distributed energy resources and energy storage assets, provide numerous benefits over conventional approaches to resiliency. This report breaks down how microgrids not only ensure an uninterruptible power supply but will also work to offset utility costs as demand for and the cost of electricity increases in the coming decade. The top five high-level factors that transit agencies must consider for microgrids on a project-by-project basis, plus examples of real-world transit microgrid projects, are also included.