Connecticut Completes $11.3 Million Financing to Deploy First All-Electric School Bus Fleet

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 6, the Connecticut Green Bank announced the closing of $11.3 million in financing with student transportation services company Zum Services to deploy 46 battery-electric school buses, 49 sets of bidirectional charging equipment supporting vehicle-to-grid power transfer, and supporting electrical infrastructure for Branford Public Schools. The project will create Connecticut's first all-electric school bus fleet and the largest all-electric school district bus fleet with vehicle-to-grid capability in the northeastern United States. The vehicles began operating in the 2026–2027 school year.

The financing covers the procurement of electric school buses, bidirectional charging equipment, and the construction of supporting power supply facilities. The charging infrastructure will be deployed at Zum's school bus operating depot in Branford, and the related grid interconnection work must be carried out in coordination with the installation of the charging equipment. The 46 school buses will handle daily student pick-up and drop-off for Branford Public Schools, replacing conventional diesel school buses and forming an all-electric transportation fleet covering the district. Branford Public Schools currently serves approximately 2,800 students across 6 campuses, covering pre-kindergarten through grade 12.

Another focus of the project is bidirectional power exchange between vehicles and the grid. The 49 sets of bidirectional charging equipment can not only charge the school bus batteries but also feed electricity stored in the vehicles back to the grid. When the buses are parked and their battery levels meet operational needs, the vehicles can serve as distributed energy storage resources, sending power back to the grid during peak demand periods. The system combines daily school bus operations with regional power regulation facilities, though actual participation in grid regulation still requires compliance with the relevant electricity market and regulatory rules.

The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority issued a proposed final decision on October 29, 2026, planning to allow commercial bidirectional electric vehicle charging systems to participate in the state's energy storage solutions program starting in 2027. The Connecticut Green Bank will work with Zum and local utility Eversource to advance the project as the state's first commercial vehicle-to-grid project.

The Connecticut Green Bank and project participants are using a combination of government grant funding and low-cost financing to share the construction costs of vehicle procurement, charging facilities, and grid interconnection work. The $11.3 million financing is an important component of the project's overall funding arrangement. The project builds on a previously signed long-term student transportation services agreement between Zum and Branford Public Schools, under which Zum is responsible for school bus transportation services and related fleet operations.

In addition, the Connecticut Green Bank plans to launch a dedicated green investment note in early 2027, opening project investment channels to local residents and other investors. Through this product, investors can participate in the school bus electrification project and may choose to donate part or all of their interest income to local partner organizations.