In Sweden, yesterday’s food scraps are powering today’s buses, trucks, and garbage collection vehicles. What sounds futuristic is already a reality—and a blueprint for circular, low-carbon cities.
Here’s how it works:
👉 Households separate food waste from other trash.
👉 Waste is collected and sent to biogas plants.
👉 Through anaerobic digestion, organic leftovers are transformed into bio-CNG (compressed natural gas).
👉 This clean, renewable fuel powers public transport, closing the loop between consumption and energy.
🌱 Why it matters for climate and cities:
Each ton of food waste diverted prevents the release of methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than CO₂.
Cities reduce dependence on fossil fuels while lowering air pollution.
Public transport becomes greener, cheaper, and circular, demonstrating that everyday waste can be a valuable energy resource.
Sweden’s approach proves that solutions to climate challenges don’t always require high-tech innovation—sometimes, it’s about rethinking what is considered waste. Scaling this globally could drastically cut urban emissions, improve air quality, and accelerate the transition to Net Zero.
Food waste isn’t just trash—it’s an untapped energy goldmine. Circular thinking can turn yesterday’s leftovers into tomorrow’s clean energy, powering cities while protecting the climate.
Would you ride a bus fueled by last night’s dinner? The future of sustainable transport might be closer than it seems.
Image Credit: Wangechi Kuria
source : Waste Innovation Stories
No comments:
Post a Comment