Australian utility unveils biogas fuelled ‘Poo Car’

Among the hundreds of classic vehicles and high powered sports cars at the RACQ Motorfest in Brisbane, Australia, one of the country’s major urban utilities unveiled its own contribution, dubbed the ‘Poo Car’.

“The car runs on electricity generated from sewage from our Oxley Creek Sewage Treatment Plant,” said Michelle Cull, a spokesperson for Queensland Urban Utilities.

“We’re converting the waste from 300,000 people into electricity, to run both this electric car and our sewage treatment plant.

“By harnessing the power of poo, we’re not only reducing our operating costs but helping the environment by using a cleaner, greener energy source.”

A cogeneration unit at the Oxley Creek treatment plant produces the electricity to power the Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle. Biogas is captured from sewage, and then used to drive an engine which creates electricity.

“It would cost around $1900 a year to fuel a similar sized petrol-powered car,” Ms Cull said, in a statement issued before the RACQ show.

“We’re also reducing our greenhouse gas emissions because we’re using a renewable energy source.

“This is just the first step. In the future, we’re hoping our entire fleet may one day be powered by poo.”