Title
Duke Energy Presentation of Grant Award to City of Greensboro for Support of Electric Bus Quick Charge Station
Body
Department: Transportation
Council District: City wide
Public Hearing: N/A
Advertising Date/By: N/A
Contact 1 and Phone: Adam Fischer, 373-2861
Contact 2 and Phone: Bruce Adams, 412-6237
PURPOSE:
Special Presentation of Grant Award by Duke Energy
BACKGROUND:
As set forth in a certain Consent Decree entered into by Duke Energy on October 20, 2015 (the “Consent Decree”), Duke Energy is required to spend $3,000,000 to implement environmental mitigation projects in the State of North Carolina designed to reduce air emissions from reduced vehicle emissions or reduced use of fossil-fueled electricity generation.
Pursuant to the Consent Decree, Duke Energy has allocated $500,000 for the reimbursement of costs incurred by certain transit agencies in North Carolina to provide support to those agencies that wish to acquire an electric bus and require assistance funding the associated charging infrastructure necessary to support operations of the electric bus charging infrastructure.
The City of Greensboro Department of Transportation (GDOT) and the Greensboro Transit Authority (GTA) have secured authorization through the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the North Carolina Department of Transportation to utilize Federal Funds to purchase 100% electric buses and associated charging infrastructure to replace diesel buses in the transit fleet which have met their useful life. GDOT/GTA is in the process of purchasing two (2) to three (3) electric buses and associated “quick charge” charging infrastructure and applied for assistance from Duke Energy through the consent decree. It is anticipated that the electric bus order will be placed by February 2017 and upon delivery will make Greensboro the first North Carolina municipality with some all electric buses in their fleet. The unique quick charge infrastructure in combination with all electric buses will be ideal for the GTA routes that circulate through the Depot. Demonstrations and examples of the electric bus/quick charge system in operation show that once the GTA bus completes the route and returns to the depot that it will only take seven (7) to eight (8) minutes to completely recharge the battery array.
BUDGET IMPACT:
The Duke Energy Grant will provide up to $500,000 in assistance to fund the “quick charge” charging infrastructure which will support the City’s new 100% electric buses.
Over the typical ten (10) to twelve (12) year useful life of a typical diesel bus, it is anticipated that the 100% electric bus will save up to $448,000 over this time period (life cycle cost) due to reduced maintenance and operating costs. Zero emissions (no noxious diesel smoke) and much reduced noise are added benefits of the 100% electric bus.
RECOMMENDATION / ACTION REQUESTED:
No Council action is requested at this time. GDOT/GTA will bring a formal agreement with Duke Energy and associated budget ordinance to City Council for approval at a near future City Council meeting.