Proposed bill aims to lower cost of electric school buses in Maine
WELLS - OGUNQUIT (WGME) - A number of school districts in Maine are getting federal funding for electric school buses.
A proposed bill would start a pilot project aimed at lowering charging costs.
Thirteen school districts in Maine were awarded this funding in the fall.
The largest of which, about $4.5 million, went to the Wells-Ogunquit school district.
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State Representative Gerry Runte sponsored a bill to start a vehicle to grid pilot project.
He says it would charge the school's future electric buses at night when electric rates are lower, and re-use the stored electricity in the buses when they're not in use.
Runte says this program should save the school district money in the long term.
“So, school districts theoretically could charge at night in low rates, and then in the summer if the bus was not being utilized, discharge at peak hours when that energy was much more valuable. So, from the school districts stand point, there’s a revenue stream," he said.
Each of the electric buses costs about $300,000 and the infrastructure to set up this pilot program will cost another $20,000 per bus.
