Horses in the Florida town of Wellington are estimated to produce 100 tonnes of dung a day.

Its disposal is a serious problem for the community, as natural water run-off in the area is into the ecologically delicate Everglades.

The exhaust products of the community's 9000 horses should be able to generate 24 megawatts of electricity a day.

The town's council is talking seriously with a company, Wellington Energy LLC, about the venture, and has even suggested land beside its waste-water treatment plant could be used for the plant.

A plant estimated to cost $US10 million plant would be capable of burning up to 130 tonnes of dung each day, the steam from which would drive a turbine to generate electricity.

The power generated could be sold to suppliers for retail on-sale.

Wellington Energy, which has already been involved in a similar project in Pennsylvania, is confident plant design can overcome any potential noise or smell issues.

The council hopes the venture will be able to run without specific ongoing costs to the local authority, although there might an additional cost, such as the donation of land for the plant.

Disposal of horse dung has been a major headache for the community. It has been identified as a major source of phosphorous entering the Everglades in run-off water.

Authorities have reduced the phosphorous by imposing restrictions on manure disposal, and channelling storm-water through specially built marshes to filter the water.

However, those solutions do not deal with the mounting pile of manure.

The council sought innovative proposals last year to deal with the dung mountain. Of seven received, the proposal from Wellington Energy was considered to have the greatest merit.

The venture, if it proceeds, might even qualify for a state grant under plans to encourage alternative energy proposals. The value of the electricity produced each year has been put as high as $US4.2 million.

Other proposed uses for the horse dung have included producing ethanol.