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How electric school buses could help fuel the power grid
The pilot used 2 electric buses and 5,000 pounds of sandbags, and B.C. Hydro says each could return 100 to 125 kilowatt-hours to the grid.
- From July through November 2025, B.C. Hydro and Burnaby-based Lynch Bus Lines tested electric school buses as grid batteries. The pilot used two "The Dreamer" buses to assess whether stored battery power could help manage peak electricity demand.
- School buses are highly scheduled, allowing utilities to predict power availability, says operations manager Cory Lynch at Burnaby-based Lynch Bus Lines. V2G technology enables electric vehicles to supply power to the grid during peak demand periods.
- "The Dreamer" buses have a 255 kWh capacity and used about 75 to 100 kWh daily. Maintaining a 20 per cent charge left 100 to 125 kWh per bus for B.C. Hydro to use during the 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. peak window.
- Electric models currently cost "close to triple" what diesel buses cost, creating a significant barrier to entry. Kari Montrichard, senior manager for capacity products at B.C. Hydro, notes this industry is still developing and requires standardization.
- Utilities anticipate large-scale V2G will become reality in British Columbia within about five years. With 235,000 light-duty EVs on the road, Montrichard says the province aims to leverage this potential capacity to help manage grid demand.
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A program is being tested in the US that would allow customers to sell the energy stored in their electric cars back to the grid. More than sixty customers have already signed up, including school buses.
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