Experts in Guwahati pitch biogas as option to ease LPG burden

Guwahati: Residents of the city are feeling the pinch after the sharp rise in the price of LPG cylinders, along with restrictions on procurement. However, waste management experts believe an alternative solution lies in turning wet waste into cooking gas through biogas plants.

Experts claim that organic waste generated daily in households, markets, and restaurants can be processed through an anaerobic digestion method.




“Commercial kitchens that generate large amounts of organic waste use mechanised systems to convert it into biogas, which can then be piped back to the same kitchen for cooking. It is a viable model where waste is returned into energy, improving overall return on investment. While such systems work effectively at a small scale, expanding them could support the production of compressed biogas as a broader alternative fuel,” said Sreyance Modi, a waste management expert with over nine years of experience.

Shaklain Haque, another expert from Jorhat, emphasised that decentralised biogas units could reduce dependence on LPG and address the growing problem of wet waste disposal. Urban areas generate large volumes of biodegradable waste every day, much of which ends up in landfills despite its energy potential.

“Instead of sending waste to dumpsites, if citizens segregate garbage at the household level, it can be used in decentralised biogas plants. The gas produced can then fuel community kitchens,” he said.

Earlier, biogas plants required large quantities of waste to operate. However, with modern technology, even small amounts of organic waste (200-300 kg) can now be used to produce biogas. While local markets provide enough waste, effective systems for segregation, collection, and management are necessary to utilise this resource efficiently.

Shirshendu Shekhar Das, another Guwahati-based expert, said if small traders, shops, hotels, and market are supported through reward or incentive systems for the waste they generate, the system can become sustainable.