In 2017, London buses ran partly on coffee; bio-bean turned waste grounds into 6,000 litres of oil, enough to fuel one bus for one year, the firm says

Alternative energy sources are one way to find new ways to utilize daily waste. In London, discarded coffee grounds have become the raw material for a biofuel made to help power public transport, providing a new use for waste that might otherwise end up in landfill.

The initiative brings together British startup bio-bean, energy company Shell and fuel producer Argent Energy to turn used coffee grounds into a blended biodiesel. The project illustrates how a familiar household and café waste product can be processed into fuel for existing vehicles.

How coffee waste is being turned into bus fuel

The project has generated 6,000 litres of oil extracted from used coffee grounds. When processed into a blended B20 biodiesel, this quantity could help offer enough fuel for the equivalent of one London bus to function for a year.


The B20 blend has 20% biofuel, including a component derived from coffee oil, mixed with conventional diesel. The resulting fuel can be included into London's bus fuel supply without the requirement of changes to existing engines.

As per the companies involved, the fuel gives a way to reduce emissions from bus journeys while making productive use of waste coffee.

London's coffee consumption creates a large supply of waste

Coffee consumption offers a major source of raw material for the initiative. The average Londoner drinks 2.3 cups of coffee a day, producing over 200,000 tonnes of coffee waste annually.

Most of this waste would otherwise go to landfill, where it has the potential to release greenhouse gases. Bio-bean focuses on collecting a portion of these used grounds from high-street coffee chains and factories and converting them into a useful resource.

The company is part of a wider attempt to discover practical applications for materials that are routinely discarded.

From used grounds to blended biodiesel

The production process starts with collecting used coffee grounds from cafés, restaurants and other sources. The material is transported to a processing facility, where it is dried before the oil is extracted.

Bio-bean then works with its fuel partner, Argent Energy, to process the coffee oil into B20 biodiesel. The finished blend includes the biofuel component with mineral diesel, enabling it to enter the existing fuel supply chain.

What the companies say about the project

Bio-bean founder Arthur Kay described the initiative as an example of turning waste into a useful resource.

“We’veWe’ve created thousands of litres of coffee-derived B20 biodiesel which will help power London buses for the first time,” Kay stated in a press release published by Business Wire.

Shell also emphasized the potential of supporting new methods to energy production. Sinead Lynch, Shell UK Country Chair, citing: “When it comes to clean energy, we are always looking for the next inventive solution. A good idea can come from anywhere, but with the scale and commitment of Shell, we can help enable true progress. We're pleased to be able to support bio-bean to trial this innovative new energy solution which can help to power buses, keeping Londoners moving around the city - powered in part by their waste coffee grounds.”

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How the initiative fits into London's transport goals

Transport for London (TfL) oversees the city's public transport operations and main roads. Its work is improving transport services and addressing emissions from buses and other forms of public travel.

The coffee-derived fuel initiative provides another approach to minimize the environmental impact of existing transport systems. As the blended biodiesel can be used without modifying bus engines, it offers a way to introduce a waste-derived fuel via established infrastructure.

Turning discarded coffee into an energy resource

The London project shows how used coffee grounds can be collected, processed and incorporated into a transport fuel. By working with bio-bean and Argent Energy, Shell has supported the production of thousands of litres of coffee-derived B20 biodiesel for the city's bus fuel supply.

Every year, London generates over 200,000 tons of waste coffee, and the scheme highlights the possibility of at least some of this unwanted material being given a new lease of life.It also demonstrates how partnerships between tech startups and established energy companies can help turn alternative fuel ideas into practical ones.