miguex

source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-10881080

A "poo-powered" VW Beetle has taken to the streets of Bristol in an attempt to encourage sustainable motoring.

The Bio-Bug runs on processed methane gas generated as part of the raw sewage treatment process.

Engineers from Wessex Water estimate the waste from 70 homes would generate enough gas to run the car for 10,000 miles (16,100km).

Despite being powered by fuel created from sewage, the car does not smell unpleasant.

"It performs like a normal car - you wouldn't know it was powered by biogas," a company spokesman said.

'Surplus gas'

To use biogas as vehicle fuel without affecting vehicle performance or reliability the gas needs to be treated to remove the carbon dioxide content.

GENeco, part of Wessex Water, imported specialist "cleaning" equipment to treat the raw methane generated at the sewage treatment works in Avonmouth.

The spokesman added: Our site has been producing biogas for many years which we use to generate electricity to power the site and export to the National Grid.

"With the surplus gas we had available we wanted to put it to good use in a sustainable and efficient way.

"We decided to power a vehicle on the gas offering a sustainable alternative to using fossil fuels which we so heavily rely on in the UK."

DD_545i

Sounds like an ideal fuel for a Toyota Prius. They look like shit and their owners talk it all the time.

pjinca

Well, this actually makes sense. Latest studies show that methane emissions from cattle do more harm than the cars do. If we could capture that methane and use it as fuel we'd be helping both the oil dependency problem and the environment. Race cars that race in the Indy 500 are all methanol powered.
Just a hard to imagine the conversations generated:
"What brand of gas do you use?" "Oh, usually Taco Bell, but when I need a real boost I visit the taco truck"

craigm1841

When a prius owner pisses me off, I usually scotch tape a tire to the ground, rendering the powerless car useless.

melimel

ahhhahahahaaaa... now THAT was funny..