Pyrolysis of kitchen based vegetable waste (KVW) was studied in a designed packed bed reactor. The effect of process parameters like temperature, time and catalyst on bio-gas yield and its composition was studied. The total bio-gas yield was found to be maximum with non-catalysed operation (260 ml/g) at 1073 K (180 min). Higher hydrogen (H-2) yield with non-catalysed operation (32.68%) was observed at 1073 K (180 min) while with catalysed operation the requisite temperature (873 K) and time (120 min) reduced with both silica gel (33.34%) and sand (41.82%) thus, saving energy input. Methane (CH4) yield was found to be highest (4.44 times than non-catalysed and 1.42 with silica gel) in presence of sand (71.485 ml/g) at medium temperature (873 K) and time (60 min). The catalyst operation reduced the carbondioxide (CO2) share from 47.29% to 41.30% (silica gel catalysed) and 21.91% (sand catalysed) at 873 K. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.