IIT Bombay finds a way to turn garden waste into cooking fuel for 1,200 students; here’s how it works

IIT Bombay is turning fallen leaves, twigs and garden waste into cooking fuel, giving discarded organic material a second life. The initiative has reportedly reduced LPG consumption by 60% in one hostel kitchen while helping the institute tackle its campus waste problem.

Have you ever wondered whether fallen leaves scattered across a garden could do more than simply add to its beauty? At the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B), fallen leaves and garden waste are being given a second life as cooking fuel.

According to a report by The Better India, fallen leaves, which were once considered a waste-disposal burden and cost the institute roughly ₹50 lakh annually to transport and dispose of, are now being converted into fuel pellets used to prepare meals for around 1,200 students. The initiative has reportedly reduced liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) consumption by 60% in one of the hostel kitchens, turning a sustainability effort into an innovative solution.

In a video shared by The Better India, the initiative demonstrates how waste generated across a large campus can be put to productive use. The report added that IIT Bombay generates roughly two tonnes of garden waste every day.

How IIT Bombay converts garden waste and leaves into fuel

The process is relatively simple. It begins with collecting garden waste, such as fallen leaves, twigs and other organic matter. This material is then processed and compressed into biomass pellets, which can be used as an alternative fuel instead of being discarded as routine campus waste.

In its 2024–25 annual report, IIT Bombay's Research Hub for Green Energy and Sustainability (GESH IITB) documented the technology. According to the report, the institute has a dedicated biomass pellet production plant with the capacity to process up to two tonnes of material in a single shift each day.

The report states that the pellets have a calorific value of 16–18 MJ/Nm³, making them a more environmentally friendly alternative to LPG and other fossil fuels. Initially, the institute used the pellets to prepare meals at its staff canteen.

The cooking process involves more than simply burning the pellets. An in-house-developed downdraft gasifier converts the biomass into producer gas containing carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane. This gas is then supplied to a premix burner, where it generates thermal energy to produce steam for cooking.

A look at the people behind the project

The project, titled 'Gasifier-based cook-stoves to manage garden waste', was initiated by professors Sandeep Kumar and Sanjay Mahajani. According to the institute's official alumni and institutional outreach platform, the technology was developed over several years. Professor Sanjay Mahajani of the Department of Chemical Engineering first explored the idea in 2014 while looking into biomass gasification as a solution to the campus waste problem.

However, one of the major challenges was the behaviour of biomass during combustion. Clinker formation, in which ash and other by-products fuse into hard deposits, repeatedly clogged conventional gasification systems. Initial trials also faced operational difficulties, including smoke escaping into kitchen areas.

A breakthrough came in 2016, when the team developed a patented gasifier that reduced clinker formation by approximately 100 times. In 2017, Sanjay Mahajani was joined by Kumar from the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, and the two worked on improving the burner system.

The project received funding from the Tata Centre for Technology and Design (TCTD). Before being introduced in the hostel kitchen, the technology underwent multiple stages of development, including assessments of its environmental performance, fire safety, and operational reliability.

The gasifier was installed in the staff canteen and began operating on February 26, 2025. According to the GESH IITB annual report, a systematic study conducted over the following months recorded a reduction of 10 kg in LPG consumption every day.

About the Author

Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.