About our green gas

Bristol Energy Green Gas from Geneco

Powering our customers with Bristol poo

Yes, that’s right. Bristol residents are our green gas generators.

Sewage waste from one million Bristol people is turned into biomethane, a sustainable, virtually carbon neutral and environmentally friendly substitute for the fossil fuel natural gas.

It all happens at GENeco, a multi-award winning recycling and renewable energy company in Bristol.

From bottom to boiler - how does green gas work?

  • The sewage waste arrives at GENeco’s treatment plant. It’s treated and turned into what’s called sludge.
  • This sludge goes through a process called anaerobic digestion, which is much like what happens in our own digestive system.
  • This then creates biomethane which goes into the grid, replacing units of dirty fossil fuels with clean, green gas*

Why green gas?

With gas and electricity costs rising, using sewage waste as a renewable source of locally generated energy makes environmental and economic sense.

Green gas is virtually carbon neutral, meaning there is no net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In other words, it doesn't contribute to an increase in global warming.

It’s the circular economy in action: Bristol waste is recycled into energy. Our customers save money by paying a locally-owned company. And our profits go straight back into our city.

What Bristol poo can do!

GENeco treats 75,000,000m3 of sewage waste every year. That creates enough methane to power 8,300 homes.

Individual flushes alone can’t heat your home. But they certainly all add up:

  • An average household’s weekly flushes would be enough to cook your weekend fry- up.
  • An average household’s fortnightly flushes would be enough to cook your roast dinner.
  • Annual flushes from every household in Bristol could fry 83,000,000 eggs**

A greener future

Thanks to Poo Power from the lovely folk of Bristol, our renewable plans are now even greener, with 100% green electricity and 15% green gas.

Our green electricity is also fully traceable to people and businesses in the UK, with a significant percentage sourced here in Bristol.

*Our green gas certificates are issued under the Green Gas Certification Scheme (GGCS), a system that tracks biomethane through the supply chain to provide certainty for those who buy it. The certificates enable BE to offer our customers a Green Gas tariff through a reliable, easily traceable and fully certified mechanism.
**Calculations for gas use: Fry up is calculated from 1 gas ring at 1kwh per use, cooking bacon and eggs in one pan, roast dinner is calculated using typical oven use of 3kwh, number of eggs fried is calculated using a 1kw gas ring, frying four eggs at a time.