Thames Water here in the UK is flushed with success after saving £15 million last year in electricity bills by generating renewable power from the poo produced by 13.6 million customers.

The company said it met 14% of its power needs from either burning sewage sludge or methane derived from it in 2008/9.

Power is generated either by drying sewage into blocks of "poo cake" which is then burnt to generate power or through anaerobic digestion where the methane from sewage sludge is burned to create heat.

The company said once sewage sludge has been used for electricity, it is offered to farmers for use as fertiliser or to developers as landscaping material or soil improver.

"Poo Power" and other renewable energy sources were helping make "significant" progress towards its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20% on 1990 levels by 2020.