Reasons we love the Bristol Bio-Bus
- It is powered by biomethane, made from human poo and food waste
- The bus travels the No. 2 route
source: www.theguardian.com
The 40 seat bus can travel up to 186 miles on one tank of virtually odour free gas and shuttles people between Bristol Airport and Bath city centre (the no. 2 route – we applaud who ever made that happen!) The compressed gas is stored in the dome-like tank on the roof of the Bio-bus. With initiatives like this, it’s not surprising that Bristol is to become the European Green Capital next year.
What is biomethane?
Biomethane is a clean gas, which is created with a process called anaerobic digestion. Methane is collected in an oxygen free environment where micro-organisms break down organic matter (in this case human poo) and release the methane within the materials. The methane gas is then “Upgraded” to remove CO2 and other impurities.
Why is biomethane better than fossil fuel alternatives?
- The bio bus now emits 80% less nitrogen oxide and 20-30% less CO2 than a conventional diesel engine.
- No drilling, fracking or deforestation is required in the production of biomethane
- It comes from a sustainable source – humans will always create poo
- Anaerobic digestion not only captures a gas fuel, but also turns what once was a hazardous substance in to a “super fertiliser” rich in nitrogen which can be used to grow crops
source: www.theguardian.com
At the moment there is only one bio-bus service running due to the refuelling station being 7 miles from Bristol City Centre, however there are people working on a more efficient way of refuelling the vehicle.
