Maryland's Innovative Transit Depot: Leading the Way in Sustainable Transportation
Key Ideas
- The David F. Bone Equipment Maintenance and Transit Operations Center in Maryland is set to become the largest transit depot in the US powered by renewable energy, with a focus on green hydrogen production.
- The depot will feature a 5.65-megawatt microgrid project including solar panels, electric bus chargers, battery storage, and a hydrogen electrolyser, enabling independent operation from the main grid.
- Montgomery County plans to have 200 zero-emission buses by 2035, primarily hydrogen fuel cell electric buses, contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions by 4,000 metric tonnes annually.
- AlphaStruxure's Energy as a Service model allows the county to achieve sustainable and resilient transit without upfront costs, showcasing a national leadership in zero-emissions transit and clean energy production.
Construction has begun on the David F. Bone Equipment Maintenance and Transit Operations Center in Derwood, Maryland, set to become the largest transit depot in the US powered by renewable energy. This innovative project will house the country's largest transit depot microgrid, featuring solar panels, electric bus chargers, battery storage, and an on-site hydrogen electrolyser for green hydrogen production, a first on the East Coast. The depot will host 5.65 MWDC of solar generation, 2 MW/6.88 MWh of battery energy storage, charging capacity of up to 2.25 MW, and a 1 MW hydrogen electrolyser. The County's transit fleet aims to include 200 zero-emission buses by 2035, primarily hydrogen fuel cell electric buses, supporting its goal of a 100% reduction in carbon emissions by 2035. The project is delivered at zero upfront costs to the County through AlphaStruxure's Energy as a Service model. With sustainability at its core, the depot showcases a model for the nation, emphasizing rapid progress and clean energy production.