IIT Bombay turns campus leaves into cooking fuel, cuts LPG use by 60%, saves Rs 50 lakh in annual transport costs

IIT Bombay is converting fallen leaves, twigs and other garden waste collected across its 550-acre campus into biomass fuel pellets that are now being used to prepare meals for more than 1,200 students at Hostel 16, as reported by TOI. The initiative has reportedly reduced LPG consumption in the hostel kitchen by approximately 60%, offering the institute an alternative to conventional cooking fuel while addressing the challenge of garden waste disposal.

The project also seeks to reduce the cost of transporting and disposing of organic waste. IIT Bombay previously spent nearly Rs 50 lakh annually on removing garden waste from its campus. A video report by The Better India highlighted how the institute is now using this material to generate energy for its kitchens.

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How IIT Bombay converts garden waste into biomass fuel pellets

The process begins with the collection of fallen leaves, twigs and other organic waste from different parts of the campus. The material is then taken to a dedicated biomass pelletisation facility, where it is processed into small fuel pellets.

According to the 2024-25 annual report of IIT Bombay's Research Hub for Green Energy and Sustainability (GESH IITB), the facility can process up to two tonnes of material per shift per day. The project is designed to make productive use of the institute's garden waste instead of sending it for disposal.

The biomass pellets are used as an alternative fuel in the institute's cooking system. The facility's capacity and the volume of organic waste generated on campus provide an opportunity to address waste management and energy requirements together.

How biomass pellets are used to cook meals at IIT Bombay

The cooking system involves a downdraft gasifier developed by the institute's research team. Instead of burning the pellets directly, the gasifier converts biomass into producer gas containing combustible gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane.

This gas is supplied to a premix burner, which generates thermal energy. The heat is then used to produce steam and support the cooking process in the kitchen.

The GESH IITB annual report puts the calorific value of the producer gas generated by the system at 16-18 MJ/Nm³. The technology is designed to convert organic waste into useful energy while reducing dependence on conventional fossil fuels.

The system was initially introduced in the institute's staff canteen, where researchers assessed its performance and potential to reduce LPG consumption before expanding its use.

IIT Bombay professors behind the garden waste-to-fuel project

The project, titled 'Gasifier-based Cook-stoves to Manage Garden Waste', was initiated by Prof. Sandeep Kumar and Prof. Sanjay Mahajani, with funding from the Tata Centre for Technology and Design (TCTD).

The gasifier was installed in the staff canteen and became operational on February 26, 2025. A systematic assessment conducted the following month found that the system reduced LPG consumption by approximately 10 kg per day.

The research involved improving the gasification process, evaluating environmental performance and conducting operational and fire-safety studies. The findings from the initial installation helped establish the technology's potential for use in institutional kitchens.

From staff canteen trials to cooking for 1,200 students at Hostel 16

The idea for the project dates back to 2014, when Prof. Sanjay Mahajani of IIT Bombay's Department of Chemical Engineering began exploring biomass gasification as a solution to the institute's garden waste disposal problem.

Early development presented several technical challenges. One major issue was clinker formation, in which ash and other residues fuse into hard deposits that can clog gasification systems and interfere with their operation. Initial trials also faced smoke-related problems in kitchens.

A breakthrough came in 2016, when the research team developed a patented gasifier that reduced clinker formation by nearly 100 times. Prof. Sandeep Kumar of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering joined the project in 2017 and contributed to improvements in the burner system.

The technology has since moved beyond research and testing. It has been licensed to Infixen Energy Pvt. Ltd., an IIT Bombay spin-off working to scale up the waste-to-fuel solution.

According to The Better India's video report, the biomass pellets are now being used in the kitchen of Hostel 16, which provides meals to more than 1,200 students. The system has reportedly reduced LPG consumption in the hostel kitchen by around 60%.

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How IIT Bombay's waste-to-energy initiative supports sustainable campus operations

The project offers an alternative way to manage the large volume of organic waste generated on the IIT Bombay campus. Rather than transporting fallen leaves and garden waste for disposal, the institute is processing the material into fuel for its kitchens.

The approach also has the potential to lower waste transportation and disposal costs, given that the institute previously spent nearly Rs 50 lakh each year on these activities.

By combining biomass pelletisation with gasification-based cooking, IIT Bombay is applying research to two practical campus requirements: managing garden waste and reducing the use of LPG. The project demonstrates how organic waste generated within an institution can be converted into an energy resource for everyday operations.

With inputs from TOI