The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has developed and patented a biomass gasification technology that converts dry leaves, twigs, and garden waste into clean cooking fuel. This innovation addresses rising LPG prices and potential supply shortages while promoting sustainable waste management on its green campus.
The project began in 2014 under the leadership of Professor Sanjay Mahajani from the Department of Chemical Engineering. What started as a waste management solution evolved into a decade-long research effort to create a reliable, clean-burning alternative to conventional LPG. Professor Sandeep Kumar from the Department of Energy Science and Engineering joined in 2017, contributing to burner design and helping secure the patent.
The process works as follows: Dry leaves and organic waste collected from the campus (2–3 tonnes daily) are dried and compressed into pellets. These pellets feed into a specially designed gasifier operating in a low-oxygen environment. Through pyrolysis and gasification, the biomass converts into producer gas (syngas), which burns cleanly to generate steam and heat for cooking. The system achieves around 60% thermal efficiency with very low emissions.
Early challenges were significant. Indian biomass tends to form clinkers that clog conventional gasifiers, leading to smoke and operational issues. The IIT Bombay team engineered solutions that reduced clinker formation by a factor of 100, making the technology practical for real-world use. Today, the system operates successfully in the staff canteen, replacing one full LPG cylinder per day and cutting overall LPG consumption by 30–50% in tested setups.
This initiative offers multiple benefits. It reduces dependence on imported LPG, lowers fuel costs, and manages campus waste that previously required outsourcing for disposal. The technology is carbon-efficient because biomass is considered renewable feedstock — the CO₂ released during use is roughly offset by what the trees absorbed while growing. Larger installations planned for hostels could save approximately ₹50 lakh annually, replace nearly 90 tonnes of LPG, and cut around 300 tonnes of carbon emissions.
The technology has been licensed to Infixen Energy for potential wider adoption. While currently implemented on campus, it demonstrates a scalable model for institutions, municipalities, and rural areas with abundant biomass. It aligns with India’s goals for self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in energy and sustainability.
Professor Mahajani emphasized that the idea stemmed from practical campus needs: abundant green cover created waste management challenges, so the team asked why not convert that waste into energy. The result is a clean, indigenous solution that turns a liability into a resource.
This breakthrough comes at a timely moment as global supply concerns and price fluctuations affect LPG availability across India. It showcases how academic research can deliver direct, practical solutions for everyday challenges.
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Key Learning
Innovation often begins with solving local problems creatively. By turning abundant waste into valuable energy, IIT Bombay demonstrates that sustainability and cost-efficiency can go hand-in-hand. Persistent research over years, even when facing technical hurdles, can yield scalable solutions that benefit both the environment and the economy. Institutions and communities should look at local resources as opportunities rather than burdens.
Source: Reports from ANI, NDTV, Hindustan Times, Economic Times, IIT Bombay official channels (March 31, 2026)
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