From Peels to Power: How Indian Households Are Cooking Up a Cleaner Tomorrow
Every morning, as the aroma of fresh sambar simmers or the whistle of a pressure cooker fills Indian homes, something else simmers quietly in the background — waste. Banana peels, leftover rice, vegetable scraps — the average Indian household generates between 500 grams to one kilogram of kitchen waste every day. It’s an unassuming pile that builds up relentlessly.
For many, this waste ends up in a plastic bag and finds its way to an overflowing landfill. For the environmentally conscious, it may be tossed into a compost bin. But what if we told you that your food waste isn’t just trash or compost — it’s untapped energy?
Yes, your kitchen scraps can cook your dinner again — this time not as curry, but as clean-burning biogas.
Waste Not, Burn Hot: A Smarter Way to Use Food Scraps
While composting is a commendable solution — turning food waste into rich soil — it only scratches the surface of what organic waste can do. What lies beyond is a cleaner, more efficient horizon: biogas.
Biogas is a renewable fuel created when organic matter breaks down in the absence of oxygen — a process called anaerobic digestion. The result? Methane-rich gas that can power your stove, and a nutrient-rich slurry that doubles as a natural fertiliser. It’s zero-waste magic.
And now, thanks to a savvy innovation from a Tamil Nadu-based startup, this isn’t just a rural or industrial solution. It’s available for city dwellers too.
Meet Gastoday: Big Innovation in a Tiny Footprint
Say hello to the Gastoday Domestic Biogas unit — a sleek, urban-friendly appliance that turns your kitchen scraps into cooking gas, right from your balcony or terrace.
Developed by Green Connect, a sustainability-focused startup founded by Harini Ravi Kumar in Salem, Tamil Nadu, the unit fits neatly into a four-by-four-foot space. Imagine placing it beside your potted plants or next to your laundry rack — it’s that compact.
But don’t let the size fool you. This little powerhouse is built with purpose. Inside, a digester tank gets to work on your discarded food, breaking it down through natural biological processes. The end product? About 200 litres of biogas and four litres of organic manure from just two kilograms of kitchen waste — enough to fuel your stove for 30 minutes.
And it doesn’t stop there. The system is scalable — with models supporting up to 50 kilograms of waste per day, it adapts to different household sizes and needs.
Low on Fuss, High on Impact
Perhaps one of the most impressive things about the Gastoday unit is its simplicity. It doesn’t need electricity. It doesn’t require complex upkeep. It just needs your scraps — the ones you’d throw away anyway.
Starting at ₹21,000, the Gastoday unit is an affordable alternative to traditional biogas plants, especially for urban families without sprawling backyards. Whether you live in an apartment or a modest home, if you’ve got a balcony or terrace, you’ve got the space to generate your own cooking gas.
Think of it as a waste-to-energy transformer — but one that runs without wires or switches.
The Woman Behind the Revolution
At the helm of this innovation is Harini Ravi Kumar, a changemaker who’s turning the idea of “waste” on its head. Since founding Green Connect in 2012, she has championed sustainable, accessible solutions that reimagine waste not as a problem, but as a resource.
Under her leadership, the company has installed over 1,000 biogas plants across India, helping households become more energy independent while dramatically reducing their carbon footprint. Her vision: make clean energy generation as commonplace as recycling.
And she’s well on her way.
Why It Matters More Than Ever
Methane — the gas released when organic waste decays in landfills — is over 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of global warming. Every kilogram of kitchen waste diverted from landfills is a small but powerful step toward a healthier planet.
Biogas systems like Gastoday don’t just reduce emissions — they close the loop. They keep waste in the household ecosystem, turning yesterday’s leftovers into today’s energy and tomorrow’s fertiliser.
In a world where sustainable living is no longer a luxury but a necessity, this is more than a gadget — it’s a lifestyle shift.
So, next time you peel a potato, pause. That peel might just light your stove tomorrow.
Want to join the movement? The Gastoday Domestic Biogas unit could be your home’s next smart, sustainable upgrade.
Let’s turn waste into wonder. Let’s cook with a conscience.