Sustainable English bus runs on biogas produced by human and food waste

 
This past November, a new 40-seat bus took off in England that runs exclusively on biomethane gas harvested from human and food waste. The eco-friendly vehicle can travel up 186 miles (300 km) on a single tank of gas, an amount equal to the annual poop produced by five people.

The “Bio-Bus” is operated by the Bath Bus Company between the Bristol Airport and Bath city center, obtaining its fuel from the Bristol sewage treatment operate by GENeco. GENeco general manager Mohammed Saddiq tells the BBC: “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 engine powering the bus is similar in design to the diesel engine used in typical buses, but emits 30% less carbon dioxide. The gas used in the engine is produced through anaerobic digestion, when oxygen starved bacteria breaks down the biodegrable material to produce methane-infused biogas. This gas is then stored in dome-like tanks on the roof of the bus before carbon doxide and removed and propane is added to eliminate impurities. This, in turn, eliminates the odor as well and creates a usable fuel.

The bus will carry approximately 10,000 passengers each month.

Source: BBC