Electric buses will take Olympia children to school by day, power the grid by night

PSE completes installations of innovative vehicle-to-grid charging systems at two Western Washington districts

Olympia, Washington (11/24/2025) Students at two Western Washington school districts are riding buses equipped with technology aimed at doing more than just the traditional morning and afternoon routes.

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has completed installing five Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) fast charging stations in partnership with Olympia School District, with an additional installation at Snoqualmie Valley School District, marking a major milestone in zero-emission school transportation technology.

The Olympia School District will now operate an expanded fleet of electric buses, including five newly added vehicles, along with five V2G charging stations.

"These aren't just cleaner rides for students – they're mobile power sources strengthening the electrical grid outside of school hours," said PSE Chief Customer and Transformation Officer Aaron August. "When buses finish transporting children for the day, they become community assets, feeding energy back into the system, a first for our service area and in our state."

Here's how it works: When the buses aren't busy taking students to and from school, they'll be plugged into innovative fast chargers, which can transfer energy in both directions instead of just charging the buses. During peak energy times, when the buses are done with routes, PSE can request they send power back to the grid, helping to keep the lights on across our communities. They can also serve as backup power sources during emergencies.

These two projects represent a $612,000 PSE investment in V2G technology; The Washington Department of Commerce's (DOC) Clean Energy Community Grants program further supported this investment with a matching grant. Funding under this program is aimed at projects reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting the planning and implementation of clean energy technologies directly in the community. More importantly, this project may result in energy cost savings and future opportunities for the school districts to generate revenue from exporting power to the grid, while PSE and its customers get additional power resources when they're needed most. Students benefit as well, with cleaner, quieter rides helping enable the transition to greener and more sustainable school transportation.

“Our schools are leading the way in getting ready for a future with cleaner energy,” Assistant Director of the Energy Division at Washington’s DOC Jennifer Grove said. “By using electric buses and smart grid technology, we can cut down on pollution, make our communities stronger, and save money on energy bills for schools. Kids will also enjoy a quieter, cleaner ride to school. Commerce is proud to support this work.”

Transitioning from emission producing buses to electric school buses geared to serve as grid assets can eliminate CO2 emissions and can transform school transportation from an environmental challenge to an environmental advantage.

“The partnership with Puget Sound Energy is about more than saving energy—it’s an investment in students and the community’s future,” OSD Executive Director of Operations Frank Wilson said. “Olympia School District is committed to leading by example through energy-efficient practices and sustainable facility improvements that create healthier and more comfortable learning environments. This collaboration reflects the district’s broader commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility, inspiring students to become the next generation of leaders in sustainability.”

Wilson went on to say, “The Washington State Department of Ecology has been instrumental in supporting the Olympia School District’s transition to electric buses. Through their funding, the district received five fully funded EV buses, along with two of the five chargers, the necessary infrastructure, and training for our mechanics. In partnership with the Puget Sound Energy (PSE) project, we were able to add three additional bi-directional charging systems, bringing the total to five. These efforts reflect our shared commitment to reducing emissions and improving air quality for our students and community.”

This expansion brings PSE's service area total to approximately 26 electric school buses in operation, representing a significant step toward grid modernization and emissions reduction across the region.

PSE and the Olympia School District are hosting a private ribbon cutting Dec. 2, 2025, at the Olympia School District Transportation Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This V2G project is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at climate.wa.gov.

For more information about PSE's V2G technology demonstrations and partnership opportunities, visit pse.com/V2X
RSVP by email with psenewsroom@pse.com

Media Contact:

Gerald Tracy, 1-888-831-7250, psenewsroom@pse.com