British Town Demonstrates World's First Garbage Truck Powered by Garbage

February 2, 2009 by Lisa Zyga

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The electric garbage truck and charging post. The vehicle runs on electricity produced from the garbage it collects, after being recycled at the nearby Energy from Waste power station. Image: Register Hardware.

(PhysOrg.com) -- A town in Britain has recently demonstrated its new "'leccy vehicle" - an electric garbage truck that is fueled by the garbage it collects. The Kirklees Council presented the waste-powered Ford Transit garbage truck at Huddersfield town center last week.

The vehicle will collect garbage from 25 newly installed split bins and take it to the Energy from Waste power station and recycling center nearby. The power station burns the garbage to generate electricity, and the truck recharges at a charging post to be ready for the next day's route.

The garbage truck is a modified Smith Edison 3.5-ton Ford Transit with a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The vehicle has a top speed of 50 mph, a 100-mile range, and takes about six to eight hours to charge. The only reported downside is that the quiet electric truck may present safety issues for unsuspecting pedestrians.

Besides powering the garbage truck, the Energy from Waste station also pumps about 10 megawatts of electricity into the grid per day. All the power is generated from burning local garbage.
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via: Register Hardware

• anonperson - Feb 02, 2009
  • Rank: 5 / 5 (2)
  What of the ash and gas that is generated in this incinerator?
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• Szkeptik - Feb 02, 2009
  • Rank: 3 / 5 (1)
  Yeah, although the electric truck sounds nice I'm quite sure that burning the garbage releases more pollutants than a simple truck would.
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• jbeekman - Feb 02, 2009
  • Rank: 3 / 5 (1)
  I agree with the above comments. It sounds great if you say it fast, but overall, it may not be real environmentally friendly.
  
  Were the vehicle designed to run off of methane from the garbage, it might be news.
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• ryuuguu - Feb 03, 2009
  • Rank: 5 / 5 (2)
  Would have they incinerated the garbage anyway? Many places do just burn the garbage.
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• JCincy - Feb 03, 2009
  • Rank: 3.7 / 5 (3)
  Why not construct a garbage cart to be pulled by hogs and goats. They could eat the garbage they collect.
  
  
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• Gelvan_Tullibole_3rd - Feb 15, 2009
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  From the look of the truck and its wire mesh sides I think it collects what we here in the old world refer to as garden waste. Do you "guys" have other words than "Garbage"?
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• Gelvan_Tullibole_3rd - Feb 15, 2009
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  If you are really interested try this link :-
  http://www.youtub...SZyPpm-I&feature=related
  You might have to copy and paste
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