The first ‘Bio-bus’ powered by human and food waste starts service in the UK between Bristol and Bath.
Th UK has started its first ‘Bio-bus’ powered by biomethane gas, which began shuttle service between Bristol Airport and Bath city centre on November 19, 2014. The 40-seater eco-friendly vehicle run by Bath Bus Company operates entirely on the gas generated by treatment of human and food waste.
The waste is sourced from the Bristol sewage treatment plant in Avonmouth, which is run by Wessex Water’s subsidiary GENeco. The compressed gas produced at the plant through anaerobic digestion (waste broken down by bacteria) is stored in dome-like tanks on the roof of the ‘Bio-bus’. Before use, the biogas is upgraded by removing carbon dioxide for odour free emissions, and adding propane.
The launch has come at a time when Bristol is readying itself to be the European Green Capital in 2015. The ‘Bio-bus’ will ferry a total of 10, 000 passengers every month. In comparison to diesel vehicles, it has 30 percent less carbon dioxide emissions.
GENeco became the first company to start delivering gas generated from human waste directly to 8,300 homes through the national grid. The Avonmouth plant treats 75 million cubic metres of sewage waste, and 35,000 tonnes of food waste annually. It produces 17 million tonnes of biomethane a year.
Photo Credits: mirror.co.uk