A cow scratchin an itch. Photo: wiki commons.

The Be’er Tuviya biogas plant will begin using cow manure and chicken waste to create electricity for nearly 6,000 Israeli homes.

Scheduled to open in the next few months, the plant will be the largest of its kind in Israel.

According to the Be’er Tuviya Regional Council, the facility will be a friend to the environment by keeping waste from waterways and minimizing odors, which attracts flies.

“The manure will be collected from farms throughout the country and shipped in closed containers,” according to a report from NoCamels.  “Upon reaching Be’er Tuviya, it will be pasteurized and then stored in air-tight concrete tanks, where it will produce methane. This in turn will be used to generate electricity. Any leftovers can be used as fertilizer.”

Manure from nearly 14,000 cows will be used at the new plant, along with the waste from nearly 15% of Israel’s total chicken population.