Israeli scientists are using manure to generate cheap electricity despite the theory that flatulent cows contribute to global warming.

The processing plant in Emek Hefer, the heart of Israel's agricultural region, is the first facility of its kind in the country and the largest in the world, according to its developers.

Every day, 600 tonnes of the animal waste is dumped at the plant which goes through various processes before it is transferred into tanks where it is turned into methane gas and then used to operate turbines, which generate electricity.

The electricity is then sold for profit to Israel's Electric Corporation.

CEO of Hefer Valley Agro Ecological Corporation, Avraham Sulmani, said: "All in all we have 55 agriculture farms which are those 55 cows.

"They produce some 600 cubic metres of waste per day (about 600 tons), and 600 cubic metres of waste coming to the site produces 2 megawatts per hour of electricity."

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