Congratulations to Gianpaolo (L6S1) for winning two engineering awards: The Energy Institute Climate Change Special Award as part of the Big Bang Competition and the Triumph Design Awards Innovation Prize. His entry, HydroCharge, is a portable mobile device charger powered by flowing water, which he designed and built.

The Big Bang competition is the UK's top science and engineering competition; it inspires inquisitive minds to think big, challenge facts, ask questions, and invent solutions. The Energy Institute Climate Change Special Award is given to a project designed to help bring about a lasting reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, as a contribution to the UK's goal of reaching net zero by 2050.

The Triumph Design Awards competition promotes and recognises the talent of students aged 16-18 to solve real world problems with innovative and creative thinking in order to help young design engineers to develop their potential whilst demonstrating how engineering is an exciting and useful career that has helped shape the world we know. The Triumph Design Awards Innovation Prize is awarded to the student who has presented the product with the most innovative design. 

On 23 June, Gianpaolo was announced as the winner of The Energy Institute Climate Change Special Award at a Big Bang Competition virtual awards ceremony. A few days later, on 1 July, Lord Digby Jones, the non-executive Chairman of Triumph Motorcycles announced Gianpaolo as the winner of the Innovation Prize at the Triumph Design Awards virtual awards ceremony. 

After interviewing Gianpaolo live, Lord Digby Jones said: “Now, that’s brilliant! I think it’s absolutely the future, so many, many congratulations!”

Well done, Gianpaolo!