Cow dung to power Welsh eco-village

Cow dung could be used to power an eco-village in west Wales, in a move to take the heat out of gas bills.

The proposal by Tom Russell Architects would see methane gas piped from a dairy to the Lawrenny Eco-village near Pembroke Dock.

All 30 homes in the development would be supplied by 350 cows.

Under the plan bacteria would break down cow pats in an enclosed tank, which would cause methane – a natural gas.

Dairy manager Owen Lort-Phillips told the BBC the cows would be put on a special diet to maximise output.

He said: “It is unlikely we will be able to take the houses off the national grid because we will be relying on cows and something could go wrong.

“But there is the potential to be self-sufficient and that is the aim.”