The United Kingdom is known for its path-breaking technologies, but this might just be one of the most startling one in the modern generation. The country has just initiated its first bus, which is entirely powered by food and human waste. Known as the ‘Poo Bus’, it shuttles between Bath City Centre and Bristol Airport. The bus has a total capacity of 40 and is operational by local tour operator Bath bus Company. This bus runs by the use of bio-methane, which is generated from treating human sewage and food wastes. This eco-friendly bus is capable of travelling 300 kilometres, once its gas tank is full. The basic requirement for filling the gas tank is the total annual waste of five adult people.
The bus runs on a basic combustion engine, which has a similar set-up with its diesel counterpart. Instead of diesel, the fuel utilised in here is bio-gas, which in turn, generated by anaerobic digestion of the waste material. Here, biodegradable material is broken down by oxygen-starved bacteria to produce methane-rich biogas. This biogas is released off its carbon dioxide content and propane is added to it. The compressed gas is preserved in dome-shaped tanks on the roof of the bus. Proper care is taken to treat the impurities in the best possible way to ensure that the emissions are stink-free. This bus is capable of emitting as much as 30 per cent less carbon dioxide than its diesel counterparts. So, when was the last time you realised that sewage could be made for such a great utilisation?
