Nuvve Holding Corp. with Blue Bird Corporation announced the unveiling of eight electric, zero-emission school buses powered by DC fast chargers supplied by Nuvve and enabled with Nuvve's GIVe vehicle-to-grid (V2G) energy aggregation platform. The parties have completed commissioning and interconnection activities with the local electrical infrastructure provided by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E).

As a result, the vehicles are qualified to generate revenues for the school district through SDG&E's Emergency Load Reduction Program (ELRP) by selling energy stored in the vehicles' batteries back to the grid during times of high grid stress or emergencies as determined by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). This particular program in the Ramona Unified School District represents Blue Bird's largest commercial V2G project for a school district to date. By participating in the ELRP, SDG&E customers such as the Ramona district can receive $2 per kWh, which equates to a potential savings of up to $7,200 per bus per year, for verified export and load reduction.

The availability of grants, along with the Biden-Harris Administration's recent announcement of the nearly $1 billion Clean School Bus Rebate program, are facilitating the transition to zero-emission fleets for districts like Ramona. Since ESBs run on electricity only, they produce zero harmful carbon emissions and particulate matter that's typically emitted by traditional, combustion-fueled buses. In addition, ESBs can produce valuable grid service revenue streams that benefit school districts any time the buses are parked and plugged in through Nuvve's V2G technology.

Blue Bird, whose electric fleet is fully compatible with Nuvve's V2G technology, has delivered more than 700 ESBs to customers across the United States and Canada since 2018. With diesel prices at elevated levels, districts are seeking new ways to begin switching to ESBs while maintaining reliable student transportation for students in low income or disadvantaged communities, in particular. In 2020, Nuvve and Blue Bird announced a collaboration to introduce V2G-compatible electric buses to the U.S. market and thereby intelligently integrate electric vehicles (EVs) into the grid using Nuvve's V2G platform.

All Blue Bird Type C and D electric buses come standard with Nuvve's V2G integration capabilities which, when combined with a Nuvve-supplied V2G charging station, can store and discharge energy. The excess, stored energy across multiple buses can be combined to form virtual power plants that offer valuable grid services which also generate revenue. Blue Bird's V2G capability provides a significant advantage over other ESBs by providing districts a way to leverage them when parked and connected to help stabilize the grid and prevent blackouts.

By using Nuvve's V2G platform, districts like Ramona USD can realize cost benefits by intelligently charging ESBs when rates are low, allowing the district to sell the excess energy in their ESBs back to the grid, when needed. Proceeds can help offset the upfront costs of charging infrastructure, allow districts to afford more electric school buses, put money back into the classroom, and more.