Every now and then, we come across inventions that have us wondering, “What the world has come to!” Talking about inventions, some time back we heard about the Volkswagen Scirocco that could run coffee-based biofuels. Later, we heard about a Formula 3 racecar powered by chocolate! All this and we thought that, a few years down the lane, we might face a severe scarcity of coffee beans and chocolate. But, what is a problem that cannot be solved by a few genius human brains!

Thanks to a U.K. based company of sustainable energy, called GENeco, a Volkswagen Beetle has now been converted to run on methane gas, yes, the fuel created from human waste. And some claim that human waste from the toilets of 70 homes can power the Bio-Bug for a year. Talk about coming up with a permanent solution to the increasing scarcity of petrol and diesel!

No, you do not have to worry about the performance of the car. The Dung Beetle, called so because it drives on human waste, is so good, in fact, that you would not even notice the difference. When the car runs out of compressed methane, the system switches back to gasoline. Amazing, right!

So would it be very surprising if we see methane powered cars running around the streets in the near future? Geneco believes that, in the upcoming years, methane from sewage sludge has the potential to become a popular alternative energy source for cars. The Bio-Bug was built by the Greenfuel Company, which converts gasoline-based cars to run on liquefied petroleum gas.)

Geneco, in its press release, has mentioned out that more than 11,500 vehicles in Sweden run on biomethane made from sewage plants. It also mentioned that India and China use compressed natural gas (CNG) to fuel their vehicles. But the idea still remains a novelty in the UK and virtually non-existent in the United States.

Geneco operates one of the biggest sewage treatment works in Britain. The company has released a statement quoting the company’s general manager, Mohammed Saddiq explaining how the increased production of bio gas will accelerate the growth in this still very young market.

“Waste flushed down the toilets in homes in the city provides power for the Bio-Bug, but it won’t be long before further energy is produced when food waste is recycled at our sewage works,” he said. “It will mean that both human waste and food waste will be put to good use in a sustainable way that diverts waste from going to landfill.”

You must be wondering why they chose a Volkswagon Beetle for the proof-of-concept prototype. A group of students who took part in the workshop suggested the inclusion of Beetle.

“They thought it would be appropriate that the poo-powered car should be the classic VW Beetle Bug because bugs naturally breakdown waste at sewage works to start the treatment process which goes on to produce the energy,” he said.