UK’s Bio Bus Fuels Clean Energy Movement
UK’s Bio Bus Fuels Clean Energy Movement
The first bus powered entirely by human as well as food waste in the United Kingdom has gone into service in the areas between Bristol and Bath. This bus could be a sustainable way out for public transport as engineers hold that the bus can cut carbon emissions in towns and cities to lower pollution levels.
Green Bus, Clean Drive
The 40 seater Bio Bus is a breakthrough for the clean energy movement. This bus is powered on gas which is generated from the treatment of sewage as well as food waste. The waste is unfit for human use and it is being utilised in an effective and constructive manner via the Bio Bus. This also helps to enhance the urban air quality as fewer emissions are produced compared to traditional fossil fuel energy such as diesel and petrol.
This bus uses renewable and sustainable sources of energy and it can travel across a distance of 300 km on a complete tank of gas generated at the sewage treatment works at Bristol in a unit owned by a company called GENeco.
About GENeco’s Clean Energy Mission
GENeco holds that it is the first company in the UK which has started injecting gas powered from food waste as well as sewage into the national gas grid network and installed a gas refuelling plant for the bus on a simultaneous basis.“Through treating sewage and food that is unfit for human consumption we’re able to produce enough biomethane to provide a significant supply of gas to the national gas network that’s capable of powering almost 8,500 homes as well as fuelling the Bio—Bus,” GENeco GM Mohammed Saddiq has been quoted as saying.
“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.
“Using biomethane in this way not only provides a sustainable fuel, but also reduces our reliance on traditional fossil fuels,” he also added.
Green Ride
The Bio Bus can travel up to 300 km on a complete tank of gas. The tank of gas is produced by the annual waste of only 5 persons. First persons to board this Bio Bus were visitors from the Bristol Airport who wanted to visit Bath. Bath Bus Company operating this service has indicated that the transport is eco-friendly to fuel the green movement.
GENeco, a subsidiary of Wessex Water is a company which has been working for bring about a change in the type of fuel used to power public transport.
Collin Field, engineering director, at Bath Bus Company, has been quoted as having said "Up to 10,000 passengers are expected to travel on the A4 service in a month, which is available not only for airport travel, but also local journeys along the route through Saltford, Keynsham, Brislington, Knowle and Hengrove. As part of the RATP Dev UK group, this represents RATP Dev’s involvement in the latest of a number of initiatives to gain experience of alternative fuels, with sister companies also experimenting with different alternatives. The information we gain, will be shared with other group companies across the UK and Europe. The timing of this initiative could not be more appropriate as we approach 2015 when the City of Bristol itself becomes European Green Capital. With so much attention being directed towards improving air quality generally, the public reaction to the appearance of this bus on a service between a World Heritage City and an airport will further focus on the potential for this particular fuel."
