IIT-M to develop eco-friendly technology to upcycle paddy waste

Researchers with the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) plan to develop an eco-friendly technology to upcycle paddy waste to manufacture raw materials for industrial applications, aimed at providing an additional source of income to farmers.

The researchers say paddy waste can be used to produce energy devices that can be used by the industry which can make a key contribution to reducing stubble burning and burning of other farm waste in North India.

The researchers are fostering a new ‘Farm-Energy Synergy’ through their work with organic waste, in-particular kitchen waste, to develop usable activated carbon, a key component in making supercapacitors, the IIT-M said.

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“Supercapacitors, made from activated carbon produced from paddy waste, have many benefits to consumers across the electronics, energy, and agricultural sectors and can help develop self-reliance in the field,” the institute said.

Currently, the sheer quantum of paddy waste generated is 760 lakh metric tons per year in India and farmers consider burning straw as the most low-cost and efficient alternative to tailing the straw into the soil, resulting in substantial pollution and a severe ecological problem.

Furthermore, burning reduces the potential utilization of biomass and the estimated loss for India alone is approximately Rs. 92, 600 crore associated with this approach to farm waste management.

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“Agriculture still continues to be at the heart of India’s economy. This breakthrough technology that converts biomass such as paddy waste into activated carbon, will have a significant bearing on our health, environment and the economy,” Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), IIT-M said.

Dr Tiju Thomas, Associate Professor, Department of Metallurgical and Materials, IIT-M said the solution that researchers are identifying is a well-defined process as it will allow for the conversion of paddy waste to commercial standard carbon material and the use of the activated carbon to fabricate supercapacitors that comply with the market standard.

“The material will be implemented in the form of a suitable supercapacitor-based hybrid energy storage device,” he said, adding that rendering the supercapacitors into a modular attachment will be helpful for energy solutions across the globe.

Activated carbon is useful not only for the energy segment but also for water treatment and pharmaceutical segments and biochar production, among others, the IIT-M said, adding that the devices it is making are useful for the energy segment and also for the mobility segment.