Sweden turning sewage into a gasoline substitute (Virtually odorless)

International Herald Tribune ^ | May 27, 2008 | James Kanter

[PROCON]

GOTEBORG, Sweden: Taking a road trip? Remember to visit the toilet first. This city is among dozens of municipalities in Sweden with facilities that transform sewage waste into enough biogas to run thousands of cars and buses.

Cars using biogas created a stir when they began to be rolled out on a large scale at the start of the decade. The tailpipe emissions are virtually odorless, the fuel is cheaper than gasoline and diesel, and the idea of recovering energy from toilet waste appealed to green-minded Swedes.

"When you're in the bathroom in the morning and you can see something good come of that, it's easy to be taken in by the idea - it's like a utopia," said Andreas Kask, a business consultant who drives a taxi in Goteborg. "But it hasn't worked out that well in reality."

Drivers complained that there were too few filling stations and that cars only held enough biogas for two or three hours of driving. Some also said early models of biogas cars performed poorly on steep climbs, were sluggish on damp mornings and had reduced trunk room because of bulky tanks.

[SIDENET]

Sweden turning sewage into a gasoline substitute (Virtually odorless)

These arrogant people think their sh#t doesn't stink.

Now, we have proof! (LOL)

[SIDENET]

What a shitty idea.

[rawhide]

A FordonsGas filling station. The company operates the largest chain of biogas stations in Scandinavia. (Nils-Olof Sjoden/FordonsGas )

[editor-surveyor]

There is absolutely nothing remarkable about this.

Sewage treatment plants have been using the methane captured from their sludge digesters to heat them for at least 80 years.

[School of Rational Thought]

Brings up some notions:

Shit-tax.

Are suppliers, i.e. defecators compensated. And how, by weight, content, volume, each transaction.

Are vegetarian crappers more green?

[Nachoman]

Haven’t they discover the glorious brilliance of using all their corn instead?????

In this case I think the Swedes could have their corn and eat it, too.

[PROCON]

Shit-tax. Are suppliers, i.e. defecators compensated. And how, by weight, content, volume, each transaction. Are vegetarian crappers more green?

ROFLOL!!

Good point! We could introduce a Carbon Reduction Allotment Points program where ten points gets you a free roll of toilet paper or other rewards.

Brilliant!

[wolf78]

That’s the brilliant part. But seriously: If you have sewage treatment plants and a natural gas network, why not connect them and use the (cheap) extra energy? Of course, if you have to build a parallel supply network only to sell it as “100% bio”, that’s far less smart.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

Whatever works.

[IronJack]

Are constipated drivers penalized? If you drink cheap beer, do you get a subsidy? And if you are only flatulent, do you get reduced carbon credits?

This doesn't pass the smell test.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

To whom it may concern:

Crassness degrades what could be useful (and yes, sometimes decently amusing) discussion threads.

Let’s raise a standard of excellence.

Cheers.

[TNdandelion]

Yugo=Poogo

[TNdandelion]

Citgo=Sh*tgo

[backhoe]

( ~ducks & runs!~ )

[Red Badger]

Rest In Peace, old friend, your work is finished.....

If you want ON or OFF the DIESEL ”KnOcK” LIST just FReepmail me.....

This is a fairly HIGH VOLUME ping list on some days.....

[CarrotAndStick]

Virtually odourless

So, that means it's really stinky.

:^)

[Red Badger]

Virtually.......Why does everything associated with eco-nuttiness usually involve something that stinks?.............

[ovrtaxt]

lol I was gonna say that!

[Red Badger]

Shouldn’t that be FjordsOnGas?.............

[Recon Dad]

They need to cut out the middleman!