The impact
Camber’s delivery of 2.9 megawatts of power to CapMetro’s main bus depot enables the transit agency the capability to charge up to 48 electric buses simultaneously, equivalent to the amount of electricity used to power around 800 to 1,000 homes, Camber President Brendan Harney told Community Impact.
“Both the size and scale of what [CapMetro’s] looking to do, in terms of electrification within Austin, is really exciting,” Harney said.
How we got here
CapMetro officials outlined goals of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, giving the green light for a $255 million purchase of 197 electric powered buses in the fall of 2021.
As part of plans for Project Connect approved by voters in 2020, the purchase represents the largest procurement of electric vehicles in U.S. history, according to CapMetro officials.
However, plans were stalled last year, after the public transit agency struggled to obtain the charging infrastructure necessary for operations.
“The hardest part of a battery-electric bus turns out to be its infrastructure,” CapMetro President and CEO Dottie Watkins said during a board meeting back in June.
Under the recent partnership, Camber installed two high-power charging systems and will continue to provide maintenance. The company will be adding additional overhead charging infrastructure on routes in the near future, Harney said.
Zooming in
Additionally, the company offers energy management software that enables CapMetro to manage energy costs and consumption.
Harney explained the software can help the transit agency adjust the time at which a vehicle charges and the power at which it charges.
If electricity is more expensive from noon to 5 p.m., typically due to demand, CapMetro can opt to charge vehicles more slowly during that period to save money, Harney said. It’s a flexible process that continuously adjusts charging times and power levels to keep costs low for CapMetro during high energy demand periods.
“[With diesel vehicles] there was no optimization of that fuel source, it was whatever the price was at the pump,” Harney said. “So now, as fleets transition to electric, it's news to a lot of those fleets that they're able to optimize those costs and reduce them over time, as they get smarter about how to utilize energy to charge their vehicles.”
It is estimated that the CapMetro buses will take around four or five hours to charge, while on-route high-powered fast chargers are capable of charging a bus in around 30 minutes.
On downward slopes, the bus brake system is also able to refill the battery through something called brake regeneration, Harney said. Brake regeneration captures energy that would normally be lost as heat when braking and converts it back into electricity to recharge the battery.
The typical life space on a battery used for public transit is around 12 years, he added.
Camber’s electric vehicle charging system is compatible with various vehicle types, from buses to smaller electric vehicles like a shuttle, allowing CapMetro to manage mixed fleets with different charging needs. This flexibility will allow the agency to expand and evolve its electric fleet.
CapMetro's newest MetroRapid service lines—Route 800 Pleasant Valley and Route 837 Expo Center—which began services this month are expected to incorporate electric buses.
Of note
Camber has worked closely with Austin Energy to ensure the power provider can deliver under the high power requirements.
“They were involved throughout the process,” Harney said.
Austin Energy recently finalized its blueprint for the next decade of demand, outlining several options that would bolster the power provider's capacity, including proposed natural gas units, renewable energy like solar and wind, and geothermal generation.
“We are trying to meet Austin’s rising energy needs while also creating an equitable clean energy transition," AE Chief Operating Officer Lisa Martin previously told Community Impact. "We have to align and match with the community’s values and priorities.”
