A hybrid electrocoagulation process using iron electrode was developed for removal of organic pollutants from distillery industrial effluent. Combinations of electrocoagulation process with different advanced oxidation processes such as electrocoagulation, photo-electrocoagulation, peroxi-electrocoagulation and peroxi-photo-electrocoagulation processes investigated and compared in terms of color removal, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal and electrical energy consumption. An overall COD removal efficiency of 85% with 1.20 kWh/m(3) of energy consumption, current density of 0.13 A/dm(2), initial COD concentration of 2500 ppm, initial pH of 7, H2O2 concentration of 234 mg/L, stirring speed of 100 rpm and reaction time of 240 min was observed in the peroxi-electrocoagulation process. The effects of different operating parameters such as initial pH of the effluent (3-11), current density (0.03-0.23 A/dm(2)) and concentration of H2O2 (58.5-585 mg/L) on color removal, COD removal and electrical energy consumption were studied. The direct-and alternating-current electrocoagulation processes were also studied. (C) 2016 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. AU rights reserved.