Advancing the goals of the Town of Arlington’s Net Zero Action Plan and Zero Emission Vehicle First Policy, the Town, through Arlington Public Schools, will participate in the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Demonstration program. This pilot program will test the viability of bi-directional charging stations to support a more resilient grid and lower energy bills. 

Bi-directional charging stations enable electric vehicle (EV) batteries to draw electricity from and return electricity to the electric grid or buildings. This technology makes it possible for EVs to provide backup power during electrical outages and reduce stress on the electric grid during times of peak demand, potentially helping to prevent outages in the first place.  

“The Town is excited to be piloting this cutting-edge EV charging technology,” said Arlington Town Manager Jim Feeney. “We are grateful to MassCEC for this opportunity to work toward lowering the Town’s energy costs while contributing to local and regional energy resilience goals.” 

Through the MassCEC pilot, Arlington will receive a bi-directional charging station at no cost, which will be installed at the Ed Burns Arena & Skating Rink. The station will charge the Arlington Public Schools’ third electric school bus. The new electric school bus is expected to be commissioned later this month. Arlington will send energy from the bus’s battery back to the building during times of peak stress on the electric grid. This should in turn reduce the Town’s energy bills by reducing the amount of electricity that the building demands from the grid during these times.  

The Town expects the charging station to be up and running by summer 2026.