Techno-Economic Feasibility Assessment of Bio hydrogen Production from Biodegradable Municipal Solid Waste of Vadodara City through Dark Fermentation

Municipal solid waste management has become a major environmental challenge in rapidly urbanizing Indian cities. A significant fraction of municipal solid waste consists of biodegradable organic matter, which can be utilized as a renewable feedstock for clean energy production. This study evaluates the techno-economic feasibility of producing bio hydrogen from segregated biodegradable municipal solid waste generated within Vadodara Municipal Corporation through dark fermentation. The study is based on literature-supported process design, plant sizing, material balance, energy balance, and economic assessment. A conceptual 100 TPD biodegradable waste-based hydrogen production plant was considered. Based on an assumed hydrogen yield of 60 Nm³ H₂ per tonne of biodegradable waste, the proposed plant can generate approximately 6000 Nm³/day of hydrogen, equivalent to about 539 kg/day. The corresponding energy potential is estimated at 64,680 MJ/day, with a net electricity generation potential of approximately 8,984 kWh/day using fuel cell conversion. The estimated capital cost of the plant is ₹24 crore, with an annual operating cost of ₹1.44 crore. Considering hydrogen revenue at ₹300/kg, the annual revenue is estimated at ₹5.34 crore, resulting in a net annual benefit of ₹3.90 crore and a payback period of approximately 6.15 years. The study indicates that biohydrogen production from municipal biodegradable waste can provide environmental benefits by reducing landfill dependency, methane emissions, and fossil fuel reliance. However, commercial implementation requires efficient source segregation, stable feedstock supply, optimized reactor operation, and supportive policy mechanisms.