ECAL graduate wins James Dyson Award 2024 (Switzerland)

Stefan Troendle , a 2022 graduate of the Master of Product Design program, has won the prestigious James Dyson Award for Switzerland with his innovative project, HydrogenCooker.
 
The HydrogenCooker is a green cooking station powered by hydrogen, developed in collaboration with EPFL's Renewable Energy Research Laboratory and Softpower, a startup based in Cameroon. The project addresses a major public health issue: according to the World Health Organization, the use of fossil fuels for cooking and indoor air pollution cause 3.8 million deaths every year in developing countries.
 
The HydrogenCooker offers a sustainable and innovative solution, using hydrogen produced locally by solar energy as an alternative to open-fire or natural gas stoves, generating only water vapor during cooking. The project incorporates design elements inspired by local habits observed during a research trip to Cameroon, ensuring an approach adapted to the specific needs of the communities.
 
The James Dyson Award is an international design competition that celebrates, encourages and inspires the next generation of engineers and designers. It is open to students and recent graduates in industrial design.
 
stefantroendle.com
jamesdysonaward.org

HydrogenCooker

Project

According to the WHO, the use of fossil fuels in the home, including cooking, and the resulting indoor air pollution causes 3.8 million deaths each year, mostly in developing countries. HydrogenCooker is a green hydrogen-powered cooking station developed in collaboration with EPFL’s Renewable Energy Research Laboratory and Softpower, a start-up from Cameroon. The stove can replace current open fire or natural gas cookers while using locally solar-generated hydrogen and only emitting water vapour during the cooking process. As a result, cooking becomes less harmful and more sustainable. Local production of the appliance and deviant cooking habits discovered on a research trip to Cameroon guided the design process.