29 June 2026: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur has signed a Technology Licensing Agreement with Radix Life Spaces Pvt. Ltd. to commercialize an indigenous biomethane production technology that converts diverse organic waste into compressed biogas (CBG), supporting India's clean energy and circular economy goals.
The agreement, signed at IIT Kharagpur's Office of the Dean (R&D), covers a microbial consortium-based technology developed under the guidance of Prof. Rintu Banerjee, Deputy Director of IIT Kharagpur. The innovation enables efficient digestion of agricultural residue, food waste, municipal organic waste and other biodegradable materials while significantly increasing methane production without requiring cow dung as an inoculum.
The technology is designed to support India's waste-to-wealth mission and the government's Compressed Biogas (CBG) initiative by making CBG production feasible even in regions with limited cattle resources. It is expected to strengthen renewable energy generation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve sustainable waste management.
The collaboration also highlights women-led innovation, bringing together Prof. Rintu Banerjee and Dr. Chitra Rajan, entrepreneur and representative of Radix Life Spaces Pvt. Ltd. The company, which already develops CBG plants using cow dung, will now be able to establish feedstock-flexible biogas plants using a wide range of organic waste materials across global markets.
The partnership is expected to accelerate the commercialization of indigenous research, deepen industry-academia collaboration and contribute to India's transition toward a low-carbon and sustainable economy.
