Illinois utility tries using electric school buses for bidirectional charging

Illinois utility ComEd is exploring the use of electric school buses for bidirectional charging, a technology that allows the buses to feed electricity back into the grid during periods of high demand. This approach aims to leverage the vehicles' idle time to provide energy storage and support the grid. Electric school buses have the potential to serve as mobile energy storage units, as they are typically parked for long periods when electricity demand is at its peak. By enabling bidirectional charging, the buses can discharge their stored energy to the grid, potentially reducing the need for additional power generation during times of high demand. The project is part of ComEd's efforts to explore innovative ways to integrate renewable energy sources and improve grid resilience. If successful, this initiative could pave the way for wider adoption of electric school buses and the use of their batteries to support the electrical grid, offering both environmental and grid-stabilizing benefits.