As Luc De Baere recently stepped down after decades at the helm of Organic Waste Systems (OWS, now DRANCO), he leaves behind a legacy that has reshaped how Europe—and potentially the world—manages organic waste. The DRANCO (Dry Anaerobic Composting) technology, developed under his leadership, has become a cornerstone of sustainable waste treatment. Now, as India looks to scale up its waste-to-energy capabilities, De Baere offers insights from Europe’s journey and advice tailored to India’s unique context.
A Vision Realized: The European Journey
When Luc De Baere co-founded OWS in the late 1980s, the concept of anaerobic digestion (AD) for household waste was still in its infancy. “Back then, landfilling was the norm,” De Baere recalls. “We saw an opportunity to turn organic waste into a resource—biogas and compost—while reducing the environmental impact.”
The DRANCO technology, developed in Belgium, was among the first to prove that dry anaerobic digestion could be both efficient and scalable. Unlike traditional wet systems, DRANCO operates with a high solids content, making it ideal for unsorted or minimally sorted waste streams. Over the years, it has been successfully deployed across Europe and Asia, processing about a million tons of waste annually and generating renewable energy.
Lessons from Europe: What India Can Learn
As India focuses on the production of CBG and grapples with mounting urban waste and energy demands, De Baere sees a pivotal role for dry anaerobic digestion of household waste organics. But he cautions that success requires more than just technology transfer—it demands adaptation.
“Europe’s experience shows that technology must be tailored to local realities,” he says. “India’s waste composition, climate, and infrastructure are different. But that’s not a barrier—it’s an opportunity.”
Here are key lessons De Baere believes India can draw from Europe’s experience:
1. Start with the Waste, Not the Technology
DRANCO’s design philosophy is rooted in flexibility. “We always begin with the waste stream and the client’s needs,” De Baere explains. “In India, where source separation is limited, systems must tolerate high levels of impurities. DRANCO is built for that. And if the value of compost as a fertilizer and soil conditioner is sufficiently high, we can combine the dry digestion with a wet separation called SORDISEP in order to remove all contamination in the digestate and produce a clean compost.”
2. Local Construction, Local Jobs
One of DRANCO’s unique selling points is that its facilities are constructed locally, using local labor and materials. “This not only reduces costs but also creates jobs and builds local expertise,” says De Baere. “It’s a model that aligns well with India’s development goals.”
3. Robustness and Reliability
Indian cities face challenges like inconsistent waste quality and limited maintenance capacity. DRANCO’s robust, low-maintenance design is well-suited to such conditions. “Our systems are designed to keep running even when the input isn’t perfect,” De Baere notes.
4. Test, Adapt, Optimize
DRANCO has already tested various Indian waste substrates in its labs. “The results are promising,” says De Baere. “We’ve seen that high organic loading rates are achievable, which means more biogas and better economics.”
5. A Future Built on Experience
As he steps away from day-to-day operations, Luc De Baere remains optimistic about the future of anaerobic digestion in India. “The potential is enormous,” he says. “With the right partnerships, policies, and public engagement, India can leapfrog to a circular waste economy.”
He emphasizes that success will require collaboration between governments, private sector players, and local communities. “Technology alone isn’t enough. It’s about building systems that people trust and benefit from.”
6. Avoiding a Costly Mistake: Avoiding a Mismatch between the Technology and the Substrate
One critical warning De Baere offers is about the inappropriate use of agricultural digesters, eg. Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors (CSTRs), for the treatment of household waste in India. These systems, commonly used for clean substrates like energy crops or manure, are ill-suited for the complex and contaminated nature of urban organic waste.
“Household waste is not a clean feedstock,” De Baere explains. “Even after thorough pretreatment it contains plastics, metals, glass, and other impurities that can severely disrupt the digestion process. CSTRs are simply not designed to handle this complex substrate. In Europe dry digestion of household waste organics is clearly predominant.”
India must avoid the temptation of deploying the wrong technology for household waste organics. Doing so risks poor performance, high maintenance costs, and ultimately, project failure and a tarnishing of the image of anaerobic digestion. Instead, India should invest in proven systems that are specifically engineered for the realities of urban waste.
Final Thoughts
Luc De Baere’s career is a testament to the power of vision, persistence, and innovation. As India stands on the cusp of a waste management transformation, his insights offer a roadmap grounded in decades of real-world experience.
“Every country has its own path,” he concludes. “But the goal is the same: turning waste into value, and problems into solutions.”
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