Generating energy from waste may seem like a dream, but one British borough recently announced that they have come as close to closing that loop as anyone in the world. Kirklees Council has adapted their municipal garbage truck to be powered by the very trash that it collects!
The van is a Smith Edison Transit truck that goes around collecting rubbish from 25 bins that are located around the city. This rubbish is then taken to the Energy from Waste power station that generates electricity that powers the truck that runs around the city collecting the trash – and so the circle is completed.
The Smith Edison van has been fitted with a 40kWh lithium-ion battery that provides the truck with a maximum speed of 50mph and a range of 100 miles. Not all the trash is used to power this vehicle though – the trash is also used to power the town. The Electricity from Waste power station provides around 10 megawatts into the national grid.
+ Kirklees Council
Via Register Hardware
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Hi, i´m a mexican industrial designer. I´m working on my thesis project about “the design management in the domestic waste handle”. Because there is no much design work in this area. So it is interesting to see this concept using alternative energy. But there are aspects to consider, for example, that there isn´t a vehicle designed to collect the trash; only vehicles adapted to this activity.
I really like this web site. Congratulations!
Greetings from San Luis Potosí, México!
This concept is garbage, literally! Seriously though, this is great! I love to see this type of innovation.