Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and County Council President Andrew Friedson to Lead Groundbreaking Ceremony on Friday, June 14, in Derwood for Nation’s Largest Renewable Energy Powered Zero-Emission Bus Depot

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Friday, June 14. 1 pm

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, County Council President Andrew Friedson, other Councilmembers, Federal and State officials, AlphaStruxure and Pepco will break ground on an integrated microgrid project at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 14, at the County’s David F. Bone Equipment Maintenance and Transit Operation Center (EMTOC), located at 16700 Crabbs Branch Way in Derwood.

The EMTOC microgrid project will be the largest renewable energy-powered zero-emission bus depot in the nation and the first on the East Coast to produce green hydrogen on-site. EMTOC will set a new standard for resilient, sustainable public transit, advancing the County’s ambitious climate goal of reaching 100 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2035.

This 5.5 megawatt microgrid project, delivered for zero upfront costs via Energy as a Service, will feature solar arrays, electric bus chargers and battery energy storage, enabling the depot to operate indefinitely in “island mode.” It will also include a 1 MW hydrogen electrolyzer that will be powered by on-site renewable energy. The EMTOC depot will eventually power 200 zero-emissions buses. It is currently the County Department of Transportation’s largest fuel user.

WHAT: Groundbreaking on an integrated microgrid infrastructure project for Montgomery County’s Equipment Maintenance and Transit Operation Center (EMTOC).

WHEN: Friday, June 14. 1 pm

WHERE: 16700 Crabbs Branch Way, Derwood

WHO:

MC: David Dise, Director, Montgomery County Department of General Services

Speakers:

• Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich
• County Council President Andrew Friedson
• County Councilmember Dawn Luedtke
• AlphaStruxure CEO Juan Macias
• Audrey Severn, Office of U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen
• Federal Transit Administration Region 3 D.C. Metro Office Director David Schilling
• Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Sustainable Transport Acting Chief of Staff Tomas Green
• Maryland Energy Administration Director of Energy Programs Eric Coffman
• Montgomery County Department of Transportation Director Chris Conklin
• Pepco Holdings Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Tamla Olivier

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Media Contact: Mark Roper 240-962-1743