Gas from 2.5 million people’s ‘processed poo’ has begun to heat homes in Birmingham, under landmark moves by a water company.
For the first time in the UK, Severn Trent Water has injected the largest quantity of biomethane produced by human waste into the midlands supply network.
A treatment process means the sewage gas is clean and consistent enough for use, with an added odour ensuring ‘it smells like normal gas’.
The water firm has invested £8m on the sewage treatment works at Minworth, where 348,000 litres of waste is processed every hour.
Severn Trent Water’s renewable energy development manager, Simon Farris, said: ‘Although it’s a little unsavoury, there’s lots and lots of power locked in poo, and when that’s processed it’s perfect to generate clean renewable green gas.
‘It’s local gas produced from local people!’ he added.
