In a step towards clean energy use, an educational campus in Gujarat has fully shifted to biogas for its daily cooking needs, ending its dependence on LPG cylinders, The Morning Voice reported.
The Shrimati Manekba Vinay Vihar Educational Complex now prepares more than 500 meals every day using biogas produced within the campus. Food is cooked twice daily for around 250 students, while nearly 15 families living on the premises also use the same fuel.
The campus runs two biogas plants, each with a capacity of 45 cubic metres, together producing about 90 cubic metres of gas daily. Officials said that without these units, the institution would have needed nearly 30 LPG cylinders every month, a requirement that has now been completely removed.
The project has been set up under the Gujarat Energy Development Agency scheme for institutional biogas plants, which supports organisations in installing such units. Campus manager Rahul Patel said the institution has become self-sufficient in cooking fuel, reducing both expenses and environmental impact.
With around 220 cows available on campus, there is a steady supply of dung to maintain biogas production. The leftover slurry is used as organic fertiliser, helping promote chemical-free farming within the campus.
Officials said the initiative is part of wider efforts across the state. Around 193 biogas plants have been installed in the past five years under programmes such as the National Biogas and Manure Management Programme and the GOBAR-Dhan Scheme, producing a combined 13,955 cubic metres of gas daily.
For the 2026-27 financial year, the state government has set aside ₹12 crore to expand the programme and plans to install about 60 more plants.
Officials say the model offers a practical and environmentally friendly solution at a time when institutions are dealing with rising fuel costs and looking for sustainable alternatives.
