Vehicle powered by human waste produces less emissions than diesel engine
Mail Online
Britain's first bus powered by human waste has taken to the streets.
The 40-seater 'Bio-Bus' is fuelled by biomethane gas, generated by the treatment of sewage and food waste at a processing plant in the south west.
And a single tank of the gas - produced using the typical annual waste of just five people - is enough to power the vehicle for 190 miles (305km).
Bosses said the groundbreaking vehicle will improve air quality, and proves that there is value in human faeces.
Today's maiden voyage saw the first passengers travel on the route from Bristol Airport to Bath, Somerset - a distance of around 20 miles.
The gas is being produced at a Wessex Water sewerage plant, run by energy firm GENeco.
Mohammed Saddiq, director of GENeco, told Bristol Post: 'Gas powered vehicles have an important role to play in improving air quality in UK cities.
'But the Bio-Bus goes further than that and is actually powered by people living in the local area, including quite possibly those on the bus itself.'
The annual waste of a bus-load of people would provide enough power for a return journey from Land's End to John O'Groats, while producing fewer emissions than a diesel engine.
Charlotte Morton, chief executive of eco-friendly organisation Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association, said: 'The bus also clearly shows that human poo and our wasted food are valuable resources.
'Food which is unsuitable for human consumption should be separately collected and recycled through anaerobic digestion into green gas and biofertilisers, not wasted in landfill sites or incinerators.
GENeco this week also became the first company to start delivering gas generated from human waste directly to 8,300 homes by the national grid.
The waste plant in Avonmouth, Bristol, treats 75 million cubic metres of sewage waste, and 35,000 tonnes of food waste, every year.
The 40-seater 'Bio-Bus' is fuelled by biomethane gas, generated by the treatment of sewage and food waste at a processing plant in the south west.
And a single tank of the gas - produced using the typical annual waste of just five people - is enough to power the vehicle for 190 miles (305km).
Bosses said the groundbreaking vehicle will improve air quality, and proves that there is value in human faeces.
Today's maiden voyage saw the first passengers travel on the route from Bristol Airport to Bath, Somerset - a distance of around 20 miles.
The gas is being produced at a Wessex Water sewerage plant, run by energy firm GENeco.
Mohammed Saddiq, director of GENeco, told Bristol Post: 'Gas powered vehicles have an important role to play in improving air quality in UK cities.
'But the Bio-Bus goes further than that and is actually powered by people living in the local area, including quite possibly those on the bus itself.'
The annual waste of a bus-load of people would provide enough power for a return journey from Land's End to John O'Groats, while producing fewer emissions than a diesel engine.
Charlotte Morton, chief executive of eco-friendly organisation Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association, said: 'The bus also clearly shows that human poo and our wasted food are valuable resources.
'Food which is unsuitable for human consumption should be separately collected and recycled through anaerobic digestion into green gas and biofertilisers, not wasted in landfill sites or incinerators.
GENeco this week also became the first company to start delivering gas generated from human waste directly to 8,300 homes by the national grid.
The waste plant in Avonmouth, Bristol, treats 75 million cubic metres of sewage waste, and 35,000 tonnes of food waste, every year.
Published: 12:01 am Saturday, November 22, 2014
