Zenobē deliver Australia’s largest next generation electric bus depot.
Zenobē worked with Transgrid to deliver Australia’s largest electric bus project by creating the most sustainably advanced depot in the country.
A major first step into the region for Zenobē, this is also a leap forward for New South Wales and Transit Systems in delivering cleaner, greener transport.
01.
The Challenge
Having committed to transition its 8,000 buses to zero-emission technology by 2030, Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) planned to transform its Leichhardt depot into a next-generation electric depot.
Housing Australia’s largest single fleet of 59 electric buses for global bus operator Transit Systems, the project presented a unique opportunity for Zenobē to scale its wealth of experience in battery storage and depot electrification. To deliver a sustainable depot that seamlessly integrates solar and battery technology with the electricity grid.
02.
The Solution
Zenobē’s unique end-to-end solution removed the financial, technical and operational risks of the transition, leveraging years of experience in the UK to deliver at scale, with guaranteed bus and charging performance.
Finance
- Zenobē oversaw the finance of all assets including the buses, replacement batteries, AC and DC fast chargers, on-site civil and electrical work, stationary storage and solar panels.
Charging Infrastructure
- We ensured all the required network infrastructure upgrades were made, including grid, solar and battery connections.
Dynamic Software
- Our market-leading software and telematics manage the bus charging and grid optimisation to ensure that the buses are fully charged to perform on their routes.
- Transit Systems can gain enhanced insights into their driver’s and vehicle’s performance so that the vehicle and battery’s longevity and maximised.
Zenobē Co-Founder and Director Steven Meersman explains that through the installation of on-site batteries, over 50 buses can be charged overnight for a full day of operation, without having a negative impact on the grid. Moreover, in the day the onsite battery storage unit will support the uptake of renewables on the Australian network, providing essential stability services.
“We are excited to be delivering this advanced infrastructure implementation supported by our end-to-end software, which will seamlessly manage the fleet charging process, as well as the resulting power requirements.”
Mass Electrification
Zenobē Country Director for Australia and New Zealand Gareth Ridge said that it is our ability to wrap the entire service solution from to end-to-end removing key technology risks that de-risks and supports large-scale electrification.
“The Zenobē offering leverages years of experience in the United Kingdom, where we have successfully proven that we can deliver this model at scale with guaranteed bus and charging performance for the end customer”
“It is exciting to be bringing this market leading knowledge, software and expertise to Australia to support NSW and Australia’s transition to zero emissions”.
In numbers
new electric buses powered by Zenobē on the streets of Sydney
electric buses managed by Zenobē’s proprietary software
03.
Key results
- We received strong support from the Federal Government in the form of $5 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), as well as important debt finance from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC)
- Zenobē will share valuable learnings with the industry, from construction through to deployment, through ARENA’s Knowledge Sharing Reports. These reports will be an invaluable public resource for the Australian bus sector as it transition 1000’s of buses over the coming decade
