Potato starch was chemically hydrolyzed to glucose using silicotungstic acid (H4SiW12O40 center dot nH(2)O, HSiW) as catalyst under microwave irradiation in a short duration (5 min). Potato starch was completely converted to glucose, levulinic acid and formic acid. The methodology was further used for the conversion of potato peel waste (PPW), a zero value waste to glucose. A glucose yield of 59 wt.% was obtained upon the microwave irradiation (15 min) of PPW. The combined use of solid acid catalyst and microwave irradiation offers a fast and green process for glucose production from starch based waste materials. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.