Power from waste: MG University develops coconut husk electricity tech

Kottayam: Researchers at Mahatma Gandhi University have developed an innovative technology to generate electricity from tender coconut husk, a material known for contributing to environmental pollution. This breakthrough was achieved by Abin John Varghese as part of his MTech research at the School of Energy Materials.The technology, named J P Kiran, utilizes microbial activity to biodegrade the lignin-rich tender coconut husk, a natural polymer found in plant cell walls, generating electricity within 48 hours. A patent application for this pioneering invention has already been submitted.The year-long research was supervised by the late agricultural scientist Dr C A Jayaprakash, along with former vice chancellor Prof Sabu Thomas, Business Innovation and Incubation Centre director E K Radhakrishnan, School of Environmental Sciences head Mahesh Mohan, and C Chandana.Technical assistance for converting compressed natural gas into electricity was provided by a team from Kodankandath Industries, led by Francis Mathew. Additionally, scientists from the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (ICAR-CPCRI) in Kasaragod evaluated the invention and pledged their support during a visit to the university.The versatile system can process various types of organic waste, including tender coconut husk, to produce electricity within 36 to 48 hours. To enhance and industrialize this technology, Abin is collaborating with international universities for advanced research and higher studies, guided by Prof Sabu Thomas and Radhakrishnan.Vice Chancellor Dr C T Aravindakumar hailed the discovery as a proud milestone for Mahatma Gandhi University, which has a strong legacy of developing socially impactful innovations and promoting their industrial applications. He also noted that the university would explore the potential of using J P Kiran technology to meet its own electricity requirements.
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