Nuvve Receives $1.9M CEC Grant for Vehicle-to-Microgrid Project
Nuvve Holding Corp, a leading company in the realm of vehicle-to-grid technology, has recently been awarded a substantial grant of $1,910,703 from the California Energy Commission (CEC). The grant is part of the CEC’s Electric School Bus Bi-Directional Infrastructure funding initiative, underlining California’s commitment to pioneering sustainable transportation solutions. Nuvve’s recognition in this initiative underscores its pivotal role in driving this technology forward on a global scale.
The grant will be allocated to Nuvve’s groundbreaking initiative, RESCHOOL: Resilient Energy Solutions for Schools. The objective of this project is to demonstrate the revolutionary potential of electric school buses (ESBs) and bi-directional charging infrastructure, thereby bolstering the resilience of California’s power grid. The initial phase of the project encompasses the creation of a scalable model that other California school districts can adopt to establish their own zero-emission, bi-directional infrastructure.
he RESCHOOL project will enhance existing electric school bus and bi-directional charging infrastructure deployments by incorporating battery energy storage, microgrid, and islanding capabilities. This approach will illustrate the critical role electric school buses play in bolstering the reliability of California’s power grid, particularly under extreme weather conditions and in emergency situations. The project’s integration of bi-directional electric school buses and their charging infrastructure into resilient microgrids aims to reduce the cost of clean transportation systems while optimizing energy availability during power outages. This innovative approach harnesses the potential of electric school buses as not only a sustainable means of transportation but also as a valuable asset in grid stability.
Initially, the RESCHOOL project will provide significant benefits to two participating San Diego County school districts, Cajon Valley Union School District and San Diego Unified, which are already equipped with Nuvve’s bidirectional chargers and its V2G GIVe™ platform. The integration of the existing infrastructure with RESCHOOL’s innovative approach aims to enhance the energy resilience of these districts. In addition to providing a zero-emission transportation solution, these districts will be able to harness the energy stored in the electric school buses to maintain critical functions during power outages, reinforcing the importance of holistic, sustainable solutions in today’s energy landscape.
“The project builds on our long experience aggregating electric school bus battery storage to discharge energy to the grid and further enhance resiliency through microgrid capabilities,” said Nuvve CEO Gregory Poilasne. “It also underscores Nuvve’s commitment to advancing clean energy solutions and reducing costs while strengthening the resilience of California’s power infrastructure.”
“As a proponent and early adopter of clean transportation solutions, we look forward to continuing our efforts to support the health of our students, our community and our planet. Cajon Valley is grateful for Nuvve’s support in securing these much-needed funds,” said Scott Buxbaum, Assistant Superintendent, Cajon Valley Union School District.
“This CEC grant will ultimately improve air quality, provide revenue for additional student programing and will help us support the power grid to reduce outages during emergency situations. We see this as a win for the district, for students and teachers and for the environment as a whole,” said John Burciaga, Fleet Maintenance Manager, San Diego Unified School District.
The Phase 1 grant award, which is crucial for the kick-start of the RESCHOOL project, is currently pending approval. The fate of the grant rests on the acceptance of the proposed projects from the Cajon Valley Union School District and San Diego Unified at a publicly noticed CEC business meeting. Once approved and with a grant agreement in place, the project can take its first steps towards revolutionizing the energy landscape of California’s school districts. Looking ahead, Phase 2 of the RESCHOOL project will enable teams that were successful in Phase 1 to utilize the bi-directional charging infrastructure blueprints. This replication of the initial projects in additional California school districts will further emphasize the potential of this innovative approach, broadening its impact and driving forward a sustainable, resilient energy future.
V2G aids grid resilience
V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) is an important part of grid resilience in the future. As more EVs enter the market, many experts are concerned that a large number of EVs charging at the same time will overload and break the electric grid. EVinfo.net’s article explains why V2G and smart charging are some of the solutions to this problem.
