Overview
Transgrid and UK energy company Zenobē Energy have entered a joint venture to power Australia’s largest electric bus pilot in Sydney.
The $40 million project, designed in close collaboration with Transit Systems, Australia’s leading zero emission bus operator, will transform Transport for NSW’s Leichhardt bus depot into a next-generation electric bus depot that seamlessly integrates vehicles, chargers, solar generation and batteries with the electricity grid.
Transgrid and Zenobē have welcomed the strong support from the Federal Government for the project which has received funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has also committed to provide debt finance.
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What does the project involve?
Transgrid and Zenobē have created a joint venture to deliver and install the infrastructure to power 40 electric buses – the largest single fleet of electric buses in Australia.
The joint venture provides the local electrical engineering, grid and bus electrification expertise, market leading software and advanced telematics as well as procurement and operation of large-scale battery, solar and EV chargers.
Transgrid and Zenobē will provide the batteries for the buses, stationary storage, depot conversion and charging infrastructure and ensure vehicles are always fully charged on time, and have the required range.
The Leichhardt depot will be retrofitted to include the use of 40 electric buses with a combination of 368 kWh and 422 kWh onboard batteries, five 120 kW electric bus chargers capable of charging two buses at a time, thirty one 80 kW electric bus chargers, 2.5 MW / 4.9 MWh of stationary batteries, and 387 kW of rooftop solar PV.
Project benefits
Electrification of transport will be a critical feature of a decarbonised energy system and Transgrid’s development of this pilot project is another fantastic example of us leading the development of new products and services in the energy sector.
The project is a major step forward for Sydney in achieving an electrified public transport fleet.
The electric buses are able to perform a full day of operations on a single charge and can be charged overnight at the depot without having a negative impact on the grid, through the installation of batteries onsite.
As we plan for the energy system of the future, this project will give us the data we need to understand how electrification of transport will affect energy supply and demand patterns.
The model we’re using could be used to facilitate the roll-out of electric buses and commercial vehicles at large scale across Australia. Removal of carbon emissions from the transport sector will make a significant difference to Australia’s emissions reduction pathway.
Project partners
Transgrid and Zenobē have welcomed the strong support from the Federal Government for the project which has received funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has also committed to provide debt finance.
The project will share knowledge and performance data through ARENA’s knowledge sharing program, which will support the roll-out of electric buses across Australia.
Zenobē is an EV fleet and battery storage specialist. It provides intelligent power and battery storage services for commercial EV fleet operators, power grid operators and large businesses.
Transgrid is delighted to be bringing Zenobe’s global experience and capability to Australia through this project.