ABSTRACT
Ever increasing demand for energy due to uncontrolled and rapid population growth and industrialization has led to the search for alternative forms of renewable energy sources. Increase in the solid waste generation is another global problem which needs immediate viable solutions to partially cater the energy demand by simultaneously resolving the waste management issue. About 40 - 50 % of solid waste is comprised of biodegradable organic waste and the idea of biogas generation from organic waste has gained substantial importance in India as well, but due to the barriers such as lack of awareness on technological advancements, huge capital investments, public participation, poor implementation strategy in the real field has slowed down its growth. In an endeavour to indigenously develop advanced high-rate anaerobic digesters to tackle the waste management issue in India, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), India has extensively worked on anaerobic digestion of organic wastes and developed and commercialized a novel high rate biomethanation technology based on Anaerobic Gas lift Reactor (AGR). This article describes the extensive research carried out by CSIR-IICT to develop an advanced digester for the conversion of organic waste to methane rich biogas and nutrient rich bio manure and its translation from laboratory to land. Further, the article also describes the journey of developing AGR technology starting from the development of self-mixed anaerobic digester, hurdles encountered during the operation & maintenance of the first commercial food waste biogas plant based on AGR Technology, lessons learnt during the trouble shooting to retrofit the plant and subsequent smooth journey in the installation of more number of commercial plants for variety of organic wastes treatment and stabilization.
