Royal Dutch Shell and bio-bean to use waste coffee to help fuel London buses

Royal Dutch Shell and clean technology company bio-bean will use waste coffee grounds to help fuel some of London's buses, the company said today.

According to the companies' statement, a new biofuel, containing part coffee oil, will be added to the London bus fuel supply chain where it can be used without the need for modification.

They added that bio-bean and partner Argent Energy have so far produced enough coffee oil to power one bus for a year, if used as a pure-blend for the 20 percent bio component and mixed with mineral diesel to form a B20 fuel.

According to the website of Transport for London, it has been turning to biofuels to curb carbon emissions, trialing a fuel made with used cooking oil from the catering industry.

According to Bio-bean, the average Londoner drinks 2.3 cups of coffee a day, producing over 200,000 tonnes of waste a year. Bio-bean collects waste grounds from high street chains and factories, which are dried and processed to extract coffee oil.

''It's a great example of what can be done when we start to reimagine waste as an untapped resource,'' bio-bean founder Arthur Kay said.

Meanwhile, the companies said in a press release, ''Shell and bio-bean announce that together they are helping to power some of London's buses using a biofuel made partly from waste coffee grounds.

''It's a great example of what can be done when we start to reimagine waste as an untapped resource.''

The B20 biofuel contains a 20 per cent bio-component which contains part coffee oil. The biofuel is being added to the London bus fuel supply chain and will help to power some of the buses; without need for modification.

Biofuel provides a cleaner, more sustainable energy solution for buses across London's network by decreasing emissions1.

''Our Coffee Logs have already become the fuel of choice for households looking for a high-performance, sustainable way to heat their homes – and now, with the support of Shell, bio-bean and Argent Energy have created thousands of litres of coffee-derived B20 biodiesel which will help power London buses for the first time.'' said bio-bean's founder Arthur Kay. ''It's a great example of what can be done when we start to reimagine waste as an untapped resource.''

The average Londoner drinks 2.3 cups of coffee a day, which produces over 200,000 tonnes of waste a year, much of which would otherwise end in landfill with the potential to emit 126million kg of CO24. bio-bean works to collect some of these waste coffee grounds from high street chains and factories.

The grounds are dried and processed before coffee oil is extracted. bio-bean works with its fuel partner Argent Energy to process this oil into a blended B20 biofuel. 6,000 litres of coffee oil has been produced, which if used as a pure-blend for the bio component and mixed with mineral diesel to form a B20, could help power the equivalent of one London bus for a year.

This latest collaboration is part of Shell's #makethefuture energy relay, which supports entrepreneurs turning bright energy innovations into a positive impact for communities around the world.

Sinead Lynch, Shell UK country chair, said, ''When it comes to clean energy, we are always looking for the next inventive solution. A good idea can come from anywhere, but with the scale and commitment of Shell, we can help enable true progress. We're pleased to be able to support bio-bean to trial this innovative new energy solution which can help to power buses, keeping Londoners moving around the city - powered in part by their waste coffee grounds.''

bio-bean founder Arthur Kay won Shell LiveWIRE's Innovation Award in 2013 and the Mayor's Entrepreneur Programme in 2012 with his ideas about turning coffee waste into fuel. The company has since gone on to produce bio-mass pellets and briquettes called Coffee Logs, before this latest biofuel innovation.''