The Reading Buses' bus hound is a public bus powered by cow dung, which reached a speed of 76.785 miles per hour (approximately 123.57 kilometers per hour) during testing at the Bedford test site, while the typical bus speed is limited to 56 miles per hour (approximately 90 kilometers per hour). The power of this bus comes from methane produced from cow dung. The company painted the bus in black and white, resembling the famous European dairy cows.
The head of Reading Buses stated that if this bus exceeds a speed of 150 miles per hour, it will be entered into the Guinness World Records. The chief engineer of this bus expressed that the company hopes this record will help people better understand the feasibility, horsepower, and reliability of such buses. Importantly, they aim to change the perception of buses as dirty, smelly, and slow. Today's buses are modern, fast, and at the forefront of the times. The head of Reading Buses mentioned that the fuel for this bus is derived from animal waste, which is then compressed and liquefied, stored in seven tanks fixed on the roof of the bus.
Previously, the UK had manufactured and operated buses powered by human and household waste, with a route length of 15 miles. The fuel required for ecological buses comes from the waste of 32,000 households, including garbage, sewage, and inedible food waste, all of which can generate methane gas, or biogas, to power ecological buses. This bus can accommodate up to 40 passengers and will refuel with biogas at a charging point in the city of Bristol. If the operation of such bus routes is successful, most public transport companies will consider introducing more ecological buses. Of course, the debut of such buses has attracted global attention. However, how to operate and use them correctly and reasonably, allowing them to serve the city while saving energy and reducing emissions, still requires more operational experience and discussion.
The UK places great emphasis on the development of clean energy. Earlier, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy announced a new energy draft. By 2020, the UK needs to invest £110 billion in the development of electricity production and transmission facilities, with a focus on low-carbon power generation. This is because the UK government will increase power generation capacity and reduce the UK's dependence on imports of fossil fuels such as gas and coal. At the same time, the UK will establish emission standards to prevent the construction of new coal-fired power plants that severely emit carbon dioxide. In fact, the UK's low-carbon transition is mainly achieved through three avenues: striving to improve energy efficiency, vigorously developing renewable energy, nuclear energy, and other clean energy sources, and actively promoting clean energy technologies.
