Sweet Home NYSERDA BEB/ZEV Study

The Sweet Home Central School District, located in the towns of Amherst and Tonawanda, New York, owns and maintains six facilities. It provides public educational services and transportation to approximately 3,350 students and employs approximately 1,010 staff. The district covers an area of 23 square miles and has an annual budget of $83M. The bus fleet consists of 65 buses with a capacity of 30-65 passengers.

In New York State’s 2023 budget, the State outlined a new mandate for school bus fleets to be 100% emission-free by 2035. This mandate also requires all new bus purchases starting in 2027 be electric buses. This fleet changeover is a massive undertaking that will not only require purchasing a new electric-powered fleet but also include electrical infrastructure upgrades to support the fleet’s charging needs.

The Sweet Home Central School quickly realized the challenges and benefits of a fleet electrification program. The district contacted Wendel to discuss and outline a zero-emission vehicle feasibility study to evaluate the transportation operations, bus procurement and charging strategy, and implementation economics associated with a conversion to battery electric buses (BEBs).  Wendel coordinated with the district’s leadership team, Transportation Manager, and School Board to develop a feasibility study that would meet the district’s needs and provide them with key technical and financial information for investment decision-making. Wendel developed a funding application and study scope of work and obtained a 75% cost-shared grant from the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) that utilized Wendel’s existing term agreement with NYSERDA such that the district’s out-of-pocket cost was only 25%.

Wendel’s battery electric bus study included the following key ZEV transition analysis and planning tasks.

1. Existing Vehicle Data Compilation – vehicle information, route schedule and data, parking and storage arrangements, utility data, existing electrical distribution information, and existing site plan.
2. Route Analysis—This includes analyzing bus route time, distance, and fuel consumption, historical and future student transportation projections, and developing future energy requirements per route, vehicle and battery size options, and associated charging requirements.
3. Conceptual Charging Strategy—Develop a conceptual charging strategy for the new electric fleet, including types and sizes of chargers, anticipated electrical demand and consumption, and optimum charging size and configuration to minimize operating costs and maintain charging resiliency.
4. Electric Utility Analysis—Engage the local electric utility to investigate additional electrical capacity for the charging site, obtain electrical service upgrade costs, and determine operating costs based on applicable utility tariff rates.
5. Concept Development and Phasing Plan – Collaborate with the District to develop a conceptual plan for fleet electrification over time, including a phased approach based on funding cycles, fleet replacement schedules, utility system build-out schedules, and internal electrical distribution system upgrades.
6. Transition Plan Cost Estimates—Prepare a detailed cost estimate for the design and implementation of a battery electric bus fleet program, including the cost for utility capacity upgrades, electrical equipment and installation, bus charging and management system, charging equipment and installation, site work modifications, and new bus purchases.

The District, NYSERDA, and Wendel agree that this feasibility study will serve as a centerpiece pilot for other districts in New York State.