PUNE: While many across the country are scrambling to secure LPG cylinders amid a shortage triggered by the conflict in the Middle East, Angad Patwardhan, a resident of Baner, remains unconcerned. For the past four years, he has been generating his own cooking gas using nothing but kitchen waste.Patwardhan is part of a growing community of over 400 individuals and families across Pune and nearby districts who have either become LPG-free or significantly reduced their dependence on commercial fuel. They have switched to “Vaayu,” a biofuel plant developed five years ago by a city-based IIT alumnus that converts organic waste into methane gas.
“I haven’t used an LPG cylinder in four years,” says Patwardhan. “The Vaayu plant at my home fulfills my entire daily requirement. While others were rushing to gas agencies, my routine remained completely unaffected.”The system requires a daily intake of wet waste, such as leftover food, vegetable scraps, and leaves. To meet the demand of his 10kg-capacity setup, Patwardhan has partnered with a local sanitation worker. “My kitchen generates about 1kg of waste, and I source the remaining 9kg from worker for a small monthly fee. It’s a win-win,” he explains.Similarly, Pashan resident Hrishikesh Rao uses a 5kg-capacity plant that meets 80% to 90% of his daily needs. “Sanitation workers are happy to provide the waste because it reduces their transport load. When the LPG crisis hit, I was the only one in my circle who wasn’t worried,” Rao said.Even smaller setups are making an impact; Soumya Verma of Hadapsar uses a 2kg unit to fuel her stove for 40 minutes every day, providing a vital backup during the current shortage. The technology has found its way into commercial sector. Abhijeet Shroff, owner, Copa Cabana Hotel in Pimpri Chinchwad, has installed a 100kg-capacity plant. “We generate over 100kg of wet waste daily and process it on-site. This produces gas equivalent to eight or nine LPG cylinders a month,” Shroff said.Priyadarshan Sahastrabuddhe, founderm,Vaayu Biogas, said, “It requires no electricity. Bacteria in system consume oxygen and generate methane, which is piped to kitchen stove,” he said.
