Cattle are seen in a farm in Ulleungdo, June 7, 2023. Korea Times photo by Choi Joo-yeon

Korea plans to cut 1.6 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year from 2030 by utilizing cattle feces as a new source of energy, the government said Friday.

Under the project, Korea Southern Power will build related facilities and generate power, daily using 4,000 tons of solid fuel made from the waste, the agricultural and environment ministries said in a joint statement.

The annual greenhouse gas reduction achieved by the project will be equivalent to emissions produced by 1.1 million automobiles, according to the ministries.

"Currently, cattle feces are mostly used to produce fertilizers. However, the process generates greenhouse gases and may cause algal blooms in nearby streams," their statement said.

"When we transform cattle feces into solid fuel, we can process the waste in a more environmentally friendly way." (Yonhap)