The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has introduced its first Energy Action Plan, which includes an investment of $65 million over a five-year period to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut long-term operating costs.
The Energy Action Plan provides a detailed roadmap to “reduce energy usage, cut greenhouse gas emissions and generate up to $29 million annually in energy and operational cost savings,” according to the Metro press release.
Among other initiatives, specific items in the plan include developing an electric bus deployment strategy that meets the LEED platinum standards and designing a new Potomac Yard Metrorail station in Alexandria, VA, which will be the first LEED-certified transit station in the country.
Metro’s strategy for electric bus deployment aims to “pilot and evaluate the use of electric buses in the fleet.”
“Metro connects the region through affordable, sustainable transportation every day helping to reduce the region’s carbon footprint. Together, with our riders, we are making the right choice for the environment by changing the way we do business through reduced consumption and efficiencies that will generate long-term cost savings,” Paul J. Wiedefeld, Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, said in a press release.
As per agency estimates, the energy cost growth will be limited to 1.7 percent annually, and the net energy savings from the five-year plan will take about 35,000 vehicles off the road every year.
Under the new plan, an estimated amount of $16 million will be saved in the energy cost each year, including $13 million more in savings on operations and maintenance, by 2025.
Riders can check a new sustainability calculator on the Trip Planner on wmata.com to see the environmental benefit of choosing Metro.
Visit wmata.com/sustainability to read further about the plan.
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