Food waste to power Stagecoach buses

Used cooking oil and other food waste products are being recycled as fuel for Stagecoach buses in London. Stagecoach London and TfL have launched a pilot to run buses on diesel made from used chip fat and food waste in a scheme being spearheaded by the Mayor of London. All 120 buses that operate from the company’s Barking depot will now run on a blend of 80% regular diesel and 20% biodiesel, which is expected to cut the carbon emissions of each vehicle by about 15%. A 50,000 litre storage tank has been installed at the operator’s garage, enabling the biofuel to be mixed on site, reducing costs and lowering carbon emissions.

MD for Stagecoach London, Mark Threapleton, said, ‘Stagecoach was the first bus company to use 100% biofuel back in 2007 and we’re delighted to be at the cutting edge in the use of this cleaner, greener biofuel in London. We know from our use of bio-diesel that it has a number of environmental benefits. The fuel is derived from sustainable sources and contributes towards improving the environment in East London. Sustainability is at the heart of our business and we are working hard to attract more people on to our greener, smarter bus services.’

TfL’s Director of Buses, Mike Weston, said, ‘The introduction of buses powered by biodiesel on London’s roads is a significant development in our wider programme to continually improve the green credentials of the capital’s bus fleet. Using biodiesel recycles waste products, reduces carbon emissions, and we hope that by successfully trialling it we will encourage other transport operators to consider using it too.’