UK
Shell and UK-based bio-bean have found a way to use coffee grounds waste to help power London’s famed double-decker buses.
The special project, unveiled in late November, brought together a biofuel company that already found success with its Coffee Logs for home use and an international energy company best known for fossil fuel. Also participating in the project was fuel blender Argent Energy.
The result was “B20” biofuel blend that was added to the London bus fuel supply chain. It powered buses without requiring modifications to the vehicles. Biofuel delivers a cleaner, more sustainable energy solution for the bus system by decreasing overall emissions, according to bio-bean.
The B20 blend includes a 20% bio-component containing coffee oil.
“Our coffee logs have already become the fuel of choice for households looking for a high-performance, sustainable way to heat their homes – and now, with the support of Shell, bio-bean and Argent Energy have created thousands of liters of coffee-derived B20 biodiesel which will help power London buses for the first time,” said Arthur Kay, bio-bean founder. “It’s a great example of what can be done when we start to reimagine waste as an untapped resource.”
Converting coffee grounds to biofuel also diverts that waste from landfills. The grounds are dried and processed before coffee oil is extracted. Argent Energy then works with bio-bean to process the oil into B20. Enough B20 has been produced to power the equivalent of one London bus for a year, bio-bean said.
This effort was part of Shell’s #makethefuture energy initiative, which supports entrepreneurs turning energy innovations into working solutions.