I love chocolate, I have to admit. But I will enjoy it even more now that I know it also is a source of renewable energy that could power millions of African homes. And I’d love to know who came up with this brilliant idea.

Ivory Coast is the world’s largest producer of cocoa. More than 40% of all cocoa beans come from the West African country and more than six million people work in the industry. And when the bean is harvested, there is a lot left over to be discarded- the bean shells, pod husks and cocoa sweatings (a pale yellowish liquid that drains away during fermentation).

After successful pilot projects, Ivory Coast has begun work on a biomass plant which will run on that cocoa waste, turning a turbine to generate electricity as the waste burns, BBC Future reports. The one plant alone will be West Africa’s largest and will meet electricity needs of 1.7 million people while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 4.5 million tonnes, compared with existing power sources.