- IIT Bombay converts 2-3 tonnes of daily leaf waste into cooking fuel via biomass gasification
- Early trials faced smoke, blockages, and inefficiencies, requiring years of design refinement
- The system now replaces one LPG cylinder daily, cutting canteen LPG use by 40-50%
As LPG prices remain volatile and concerns over energy security grow, a quiet experiment inside IIT Bombay is offering a practical alternative, using fallen leaves as cooking fuel.
Spread across a lush, green campus, IIT Bombay generates 2-3 tonnes of leaf waste daily.
Traditionally, disposing of this waste meant additional logistical effort and cost. But researchers saw an opportunity: if leaves have calorific value, could they be turned into energy?
That idea led to a decade-long effort to convert campus waste into usable fuel through biomass gasification, first proposed by Professor Sanjay Mahajani.
Turning Waste Into Fuel
The process begins by converting leaf litter into pellets. However, unlike conventional biomass, these pellets contain soil and ash, reducing their energy efficiency and making them difficult to use in standard gasifiers.
Early trials were far from successful.
"There was excessive smoke, operational inefficiencies, and frequent blockages," Prof. Mahajani explains, referring to the initial challenges. The technology struggled to produce a steady, clean gas, making it impractical for kitchen use.
Researchers spent years refining the design to ensure:
- Cleaner emissions
- Stable gas quality
- Ease of operation for everyday use
The Human Challenge
Beyond the technical hurdles, the bigger challenge was human. For cooks and kitchen staff, this was an unfamiliar system. There was hesitation, and at times, outright rejection.
"It was a tough task to convince the cooks," Prof. Mahajani says. "At one point, they were not convinced that this would work."
The team worked closely with the staff, incorporating their feedback and making continuous improvements. "We persisted, and the management supported us because they knew this would help in the long run," he adds.
Real Impact In The Kitchen
Today, the system is operational in one of the campus canteens and delivering measurable results.
It replaces one LPG cylinder every day. The canteen, which typically uses two cylinders daily, now saves 40-50% of its LPG consumption. The gasifier generates steam, which is used directly for cooking.
"With this gasifier, we are replacing one LPG cylinder every day," Prof. Mahajani says. "If we install another such system, LPG may not be needed at all - but that would require changes in cooking utensils."
Why This Matters Now
India relies heavily on LPG imports, making it vulnerable to global price fluctuations and supply disruptions. In this context, even partial substitution at an institutional level can have significant impact.
At IIT Bombay:
- Waste disposal costs are reduced
- LPG consumption is cut nearly in half
- Carbon emissions are lowered
Scaling this further could amplify the benefits.
Estimates suggest that expanding the system across larger hostels could:
- Save Rs 50 lakh annually
- Replace 90 tonnes of LPG
- Reduce 300 tonnes of COâ‚‚ emissions
The Road Ahead
The current system still works alongside LPG. A complete transition is possible but would require changes in kitchen infrastructure, including utensils and cooking setups.
The technology has now been licensed for wider deployment, opening the door for adoption beyond campus, across hostels, institutions, and potentially even urban communities.
Research Meets Reality
What began as a waste management problem has evolved into a working energy solution.
By turning everyday leaf litter into a reliable fuel source, IIT Bombay is demonstrating how local, low-cost innovations can contribute to a larger energy transition.
In a time of rising fuel costs, the message is simple: sometimes, the answer is already on the ground.
