Working together to advance an equitable transition to electric school buses throughout the U.S.
To join: email Gregg Kresge at gregg.kresge@wri.org.
The ESB Initiative’s Utility Working Group is primarily comprised of electric utilities, supplemented by other key stakeholders, working collaboratively to support, influence and drive the development and implementation of successful electric school bus supportive programs, rates, models and other mechanisms.
The Utility Working Group addresses electric school bus topics driven by member interest, including utility electric school bus program design, regulatory approval, implementation or connecting electric school buses to the grid, opportunities for utilizing electric school buses as grid assets and more. These meetings focus on discussions and topics that identify gaps, barriers and best practices for electric utilities to proactively plan and manage the new loads introduced by electrified transportation.
For more information or to join the Utility Working Group, email Gregg Kresge at gregg.kresge@wri.org.
Past meetings
Utility Working Group #1
February 3, 2022
This kick-off meeting introduced the ESB Initiative’s Utility Working Group by exploring the initial strategy of this platform and key topics for the working group to cover in future meetings.
Utility Working Group #2
May 26, 2022
Featured presenters:
- Margarita Parra, Transportation Program Director, Clean Energy Works
- Gregg Kresge, Senior Manager, Utility Engagement and Transportation Electrification, World Resources Institute
This working group meeting featured two presentations, (a) an overview of ESB business models and (b) a deep dive into the ESB Initiative’s Power Planner for Electric School Bus Deployment resource, highlighting the importance of proactive utility engagement.
Utility Working Group #3
August 31, 2022
Featured presenters:
- Duncan Callaway, Professor and Chair, Energy and Resources Group, University of California Berkeley
- Salma Elmallah, Affiliate Researcher, Energy Markets & Policy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)
This working group meeting featured two topic presentations, including (a) an overview of the electrification potential of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) distribution system and (b) an overview on equitable microgrids and what electric bus deployment looks like for underserved communities.
Utility Working Group #4
November 10, 2022
Featured presenters:
- Will Drier, Policy Manager, Electrification Coalition
- Ladeene Freimuth, Owner & President, The Freimuth Group
- Dakoury Godo-Solo, Formerly with Electrification Coalition
- Gregg Kresge, Senior Manager, Utility Engagement and Transportation Electrification, World Resources Institute
This working group meeting explored the roles of equity and resiliency with ESBs, featuring a presentation on incorporating ESBs in emergency response plans as clean energy resources and an interactive session where attendees examined utility and ESB deployment scenarios.
Utility Working Group #5
March 23, 2023
Featured presenters:
- Jacqueline Hayes, Deputy Director of Transportation, Boston Public Schools
- Tim Farquer, Superintendent, Mercer County Schools
- Gilbert Blue Feather Rosas, Director II Sustainability and Adaptation, Modesto City Schools
This working group meeting featured a panel on exploring school bus electrification from the perspective of school district transportation staff.
Utility Working Group #6
August 17, 2023
Featured presenters:
- Elizabeth Moses, Senior Associate, Environmental Rights and Justice, World Resources Institute
- Alfi Muhamad, Research and Administrative Assistant, World Resources Institute
This working group featured an interactive workshop on the ESB Initiative's equity framework, followed by a presentation and breakout discussions on equitable utility engagement in the transition to electric school buses.
Utility Working Group #7
January 18, 2024
Featured presenters:
- Katherine Stainken, Technical Leader IV - Electric Transportation, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
- Chris Budzynski, Director, Utility Policy, Exelon
- Tysen Brodwolf, Director of Transportation, Cajon Valley Union School District
- Chris Roberts, Senior Customer Solutions Advisor, San Diego Gas & Electric
- Rachel Zook, Formerly with Nuuve
This working group meeting featured a panel highlighting a case study on the successful ESB deployment project at Cajon Valley School District, emphasizing the importance of manufacturer/utility relationships and proactive site assessments. Additionally, the meeting covered an overview of EPRI’s eRoadMAP tool, along with an overview of a white paper by Exelon and CALSTART on equitable ESB deployment.
Utility Working Group #8
June 4, 2024
Featured presenters:
- Joseph McNeil, CEO, SAGE Development Authority
This working group meeting highlighted a panel on tribal energy access, discussing successes and challenges for tribal communities in electrification and utility engagement.
Utility Working Group #9
September 26, 2024
Featured presenters:
- Sam Hill-Cristol, Manager, Strategy & Business Development, The Mobility House
- Cole Jermyn, Attorney, Energy Transition, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
- Casey Horan, Attorney, Zero-Emission Transportation, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
- Whitney Kopanko, Director of Marketing & School Bus Sales, Sonny Merryman
- Mike Rowand, Senior Advisor, Electric Power Research Institute (ERPI)
- Gregg Kresge, Senior Manager, Utility Engagement and Transportation Electrification, World Resources Institute
This working group meeting focused on solutions to fully utilize existing site electrical capacity to meet charging needs and to offset potential costly infrastructure upgrades. Presentations covered topics such as automated load management, flexible interconnection, on-site storage and energy efficiency improvements and were followed by a panel discussion.