Press releases – Department of Transport

For Immediate Release: Monday, June 24, 2024

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, County Council Chairman Andrew Friedson, council members, representatives from the Departments of General Services (DGS) and Transportation (MCDOT), AlphaStruxure, Pepco, federal and state officials attended groundbreaking ceremonies for an integrated microgrid project in David County F. Bone Equipment Maintenance and Transit Operation Center (EMTOC) on Friday, June 14. The EMTOC microgrid project, located at 16700 Crabbs Branch Way in Derwood, will include electric bus charging and on-site solar-powered green hydrogen production and battery energy storage.

The county operates the second largest bus fleet in the Washington region (the District of Columbia has the largest). MCDOT is the county’s largest fuel consumer, using more than 3.8 million gallons of fuel annually. EMTOC is the home base of the Ride On Montgomery network and MCDOT’s largest fuel consumer, using approximately 1.76 million gallons of fuel annually.

By 2035, the depot is expected to accommodate 200 zero-emission buses, the majority of which will be hydrogen fuel cell electric buses (FCEB). The county uses FCEBs in part because they have a longer range compared to battery electric buses, so they can serve longer bus routes. The Hydrogen FCEB is a zero-emission vehicle powered by hydrogen and oxygen, emitting only water.

“This project is the nation’s largest transit base and microgrid of transit bases powered by renewable energy; it is also the first facility on the East Coast to produce green hydrogen on-site,” said Elrich County Executive. “Montgomery County provides a sustainable model for the community to follow. It’s great to see the bus depot micronetwork go from concept to construction so quickly thanks to our ongoing collaboration with AlphaStruxure and its associated companies; we already have five microgrids in operation or development, with further work underway. This project will both ensure county services are prepared for increasingly extreme weather conditions resulting from climate change and will increase clean energy production.

The microgrid is expected to be completed in 2025, when the system will start transmitting renewable energy back to the grid and will be able to power zero-emission buses. This microgrid follows the launch of the Brookville Smart Energy Bus Depot in 2022, which was the county’s first fully constructed microgrid-powered bus depot and also managed by AlphaStruxure. Under the county’s latest fleet transition plan, both depots will eventually power approximately 335 zero-emission transit buses.

The project is financed with little or no upfront capital for the taxpayer. County contractor AlphaStruxure provides financing, design, construction, operation and maintenance services. AlphaStruxure delivers the microgrid to the county without the need for capital outlays under an EaaS contract, a long-term contract that provides predictable operating costs, performance and energy prices.

“It’s an exciting time to begin work on a project that sets a new standard for public transportation in the United States,” said Juan Macias, CEO of AlphaStruxure. “The district has proven to be a national leader in zero-emission transportation, in part by prioritizing the simultaneous procurement of both buses and the sustainable infrastructure needed to power them. Both are fundamental to a successful fleet transformation. “Our Energy-as-a-Service approach enables the county to achieve sustainable and resilient transit – without upfront capital, in a way that reduces risk during the financial, construction and operational phases of the project.”

The EMTOC microgrid project received $1.6 million from the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) to help cover costs through the MEA’s “Resilient Maryland Grant Program.”

“Montgomery County has been a partner with MEA from the beginning. We have provided resources to help plan for this facility and are pleased to present a $1.5 million capital grant to Resilient Maryland that will help with capital costs to join all partners contributing resources to make this happen,” said Eric , MEA Coffman’s director of energy programs. “Projects like these are important because they leverage transit resources to reduce one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions that challenge Maryland: transportation. We applaud the County’s plans for this incredible facility combining solar, energy storage and hydrogen to power these fleets, with an emphasis on the communities it serves and the capital it provides.”

Powering the County FCEB with green hydrogen produced by the microgrid’s solar panels contributes to the County’s goal of achieving 100% reduction in carbon emissions by 2035. The Microgrid also enables the County to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 4,000 metric tons of CO2 per year, which corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of approximately 780 homes. The county will also use microgrids to increase equity capital. The microgrid will support zero-emission buses, providing cleaner air and less congestion on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network, which serves many minority and low-income passengers. It will also support new career and training opportunities for disadvantaged communities through the county’s apprenticeship program.

“Switching to green transport is better for commuters and the health of our communities. That’s why I sought to provide funding to support Montgomery County’s efforts to transition to a completely zero-emission bus fleet powered by renewable energy,” said U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen. “Projects like this are critical to achieving Maryland’s ambitious clean energy goals while increasing the reliability and cost-effectiveness of local public transportation.”

Like the Brookville depot, this existing depot will remain fully operational throughout the 28-phase construction process, with no impact to transit service. The microgrid will provide sustainable, resilient power for a mixed fleet of electric batteries and FCEBs, as well as for the facility’s five buildings. It will also be connected to the Pepco power grid and is designed to operate in an island mode indefinitely, ensuring uninterrupted service to county residents in the event of grid extensions, power outages and emergencies.

In particular, the microgrid will include:

5.65 MWDC of solar generation on rooftops and canopies

Battery energy storage with a capacity of 2 MW/6.88 MWh

Up to 2.25 MW of charging power

Hydrogen electrolyzer with a capacity of 1 MW

IoT-connected software tools and hardware

“With the demolition of America’s largest electric bus depot, Montgomery County continues to lead the nation in investing in creating a clean energy future for our children and grandchildren,” said U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin. “I am confident this project will be an inspiration to other local governments exploring a sustainable energy transition, and I am committed to continuing to strongly advocate for commonsense pro-climate legislation in Congress to benefit Maryland and the nation.”

AlphaStruxure and the county will leverage close collaboration with local utility Pepco to rapidly deploy a large-scale microgrid. In addition to powering on-site produced green hydrogen, a reliable fuel source for FCEB, the microgrid will also be able to transmit up to two megawatts (MW) of renewable energy back to the power grid through Pepco’s net metering program.

“Because of their ability to accelerate the deployment of clean energy sources, microgrids are becoming a key enabler of the energy transition,” said Jana Gerber, president of microgrids for North America at Schneider Electric. “As extreme weather conditions increase, the ability of microgrids to withstand these events is critical for municipalities that must provide services to their constituents around the clock. Schneider Electric is very proud to contribute to the key infrastructure of this exemplary project, which further solidifies Montgomery County’s leadership in microgrids and the adoption of energy as a service. The county continues to lead the way and show what is possible.”

The Montgomery County Department of General Services, the Department of Transportation and the Office of Energy and Sustainability are at the forefront of the effort to achieve net zero emissions by leading the transformation of the county’s transit fleet and depot infrastructure. AlphaStruxure’s partners on this project include Mortenson in design and build; Schneider Electric for its battery energy storage system, microgrid control, switchgear and services; WSP as engineer of record; AZZO for network security and cybersecurity; Mobility House for charging management software and Heliox for electric vehicle charging equipment.

More information, 3D renderings, B-roll and other multimedia resources can be found here.

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Release ID: 24-082

Media contact: Mark Roper, 240-962-1743