India, March 29 -- At a time when rising fuel prices and possible LPG shortages are a growing cause for concern, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay is unperturbed. Reason: it is in possession of a solution that allows its campus kitchens to continue functioning even during a gas crisis. Using its own patented biomass gasification technology, the institute has successfully converted fallen leaves into a reliable cooking fuel.

According to a post on the official social media handle of IIT Bombay, the innovation is the result of a decade-long research effort that began in 2014 under Professor Sanjay Mahajani from the department of chemical engineering. Faced with the challenge of disposing large amounts of dry leaf waste on the...