Biomass Conversion & Biorefinery Course | IIT Guwahati | Prof. Kaustubha Mohanty
Course Details
| Exam Registration | 936 |
|---|---|
| Course Status | Ongoing |
| Course Type | Elective |
| Language | English |
| Duration | 12 weeks |
| Categories | Chemical Engineering, Energy, Climate and Sustainability, Energy and Environment |
| Credit Points | 3 |
| Level | Undergraduate/Postgraduate |
| Start Date | 19 Jan 2026 |
| End Date | 10 Apr 2026 |
| Enrollment Ends | 02 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Registration Ends | 20 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Date | 26 Apr 2026 IST |
| NCrF Level | 4.5 — 8.0 |
Unlock the Future of Renewable Energy: A Deep Dive into Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery
In an era defined by climate change and the urgent need for sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels, biomass stands out as a critical, renewable, and CO2-neutral resource. For over two decades, scientists and engineers worldwide have focused on unlocking its potential to produce not just biofuels, but a whole spectrum of value-added chemicals and materials. If you're a student or professional in chemical engineering, energy, or environmental sciences looking to be at the forefront of this green revolution, a comprehensive understanding of biomass conversion and biorefinery concepts is indispensable.
Master the Field with an Expert: Prof. Kaustubha Mohanty
This intensive 12-week course is led by Prof. Kaustubha Mohanty, a distinguished professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati). With a PhD from IIT Kharagpur and over 12 years of dedicated teaching and research experience at IIT Guwahati, Prof. Mohanty is a leading authority in this domain.
His extensive expertise encompasses:
- Key Research Areas: Biofuels, bioseparation, biological wastewater treatment, membrane technology, ionic liquids, microalgae biorefinery, and biomass pyrolysis.
- Academic Excellence: Author of over 120 peer-reviewed research papers, co-editor of a book on Membrane Technology, with an impressive h-index of 27 and more than 2950 citations.
- Leadership & Recognition: A Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) and the Institution of Engineers (India), he serves as an Editor and Editorial Board Member for several prestigious international journals.
- Proven Mentorship: Has supervised 12 PhD students to completion, with 15 more currently pursuing research under his guidance.
Who Should Enroll in This Course?
This course is meticulously designed for:
- Intended Audience: Final year BE/B.Tech., ME/M.Tech./MS/MSc, and PhD students in Chemical Engineering, Energy Technology, Environmental Science, and related fields.
- Industry Professionals: Engineers and scientists working in industries involved in biofuel production, biochemical manufacturing, waste valorization, and sustainable technology development.
What Will You Learn? A 12-Week Journey
The course is structured to take you from fundamental concepts to advanced integrated applications. Here’s a detailed weekly breakdown:
| Week | Core Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Introduction: Global energy scenario, consumption patterns, fossil fuel depletion, and environmental challenges. |
| Week 2 | Biomass Fundamentals: Types, availability, composition, energy potential, and challenges (from energy crops to microalgae). |
| Week 3 | Biorefinery Concepts: Basic principles, types of biorefineries, feedstock properties, and introductory economics. |
| Week 4 | Biomass Pretreatment: Overcoming lignocellulosic conversion barriers using acid, alkali, autohydrolysis, and hybrid methods. |
| Week 5 | Physical & Thermal Conversion: Pyrolysis, gasification, torrefaction fundamentals, equipment, and commercial applications. |
| Week 6 | Microbial Conversion: Anaerobic digestion, fermentation processes, equipment, and product spectrum. |
| Week 7 | Biodiesel Production: From vegetable oils & microalgae; transesterification, Fischer-Tropsch process, catalysts, and purification. |
| Week 8 | Biooil and Biochar: Production factors, properties, and upgradation techniques for biooil. |
| Week 9 | Bioethanol & Biobutanol: Lignocellulosic ethanol, ABE fermentation, advanced fermentation tech, and product recovery. |
| Week 10 | Hydrogen, Methane & Methanol: Biohydrogen pathways, biogas technology, fermenter design, and methanol synthesis. |
| Week 11 | Commodity Chemicals: Producing lactic acid, succinic acid, PHA, 1,3-propanediol, and other platform chemicals from biomass. |
| Week 12 | Integrated Biorefinery: Corn, lignocellulosic, and algal biorefinery case studies, hybrid processes, Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA), and Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA). |
Key Learning Outcomes and Career Benefits
By the end of this course, you will gain the skills to:
- Analyze global energy trends and the strategic role of biomass.
- Select and characterize appropriate biomass feedstocks for specific products.
- Design and evaluate different pretreatment and conversion technologies (thermal, chemical, microbial).
- Understand the production pathways for major biofuels (biodiesel, bioethanol, biogas) and biochemicals.
- Apply integrated biorefinery concepts to design sustainable, multi-product biomass processing systems.
- Perform foundational Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) and Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) for biomass projects.
This knowledge is directly applicable in industries supported by the course, including all sectors processing biomass into biofuels, platform chemicals, polymers, and other value-added products.
Essential Reference Materials
The course curriculum is supported by seminal texts in the field, including:
- Biomass for Renewable Energy, Fuels, and Chemicals by Donald L. Klass
- Biomass Gasification, Pyrolysis and Torrefaction by Prabir Basu
- Biomass to Biofuels: Strategies for Global Industries edited by Vertes et al.
- Bioprocessing Technologies in Biorefinery for Sustainable Production edited by Yang et al.
Embark on your journey to becoming an expert in sustainable technology. This course offers a unique opportunity to learn from one of India's foremost researchers and to build the technical foundation needed to contribute meaningfully to the world's transition to a circular, bio-based economy. Enroll today and take the first step towards mastering the science and engineering of biomass conversion and biorefinery.
Enroll Now →