Malawi’s Mwanza District Hospital Becomes First in the World to Cook with Green Hydrogen
Loughborough University’s Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology (CREST) has achieved a global first by producing high-purity green hydrogen for clean cooking at Mwanza District Hospital in Malawi. The full-scale lead-acid battery–electrolyser system generated hydrogen at over 99% purity, which was successfully used to power a specially adapted clean-cooking stove — replacing the hospital’s reliance on polluting fuels such as firewood and charcoal.
The breakthrough marks a major milestone for green hydrogen technology, demonstrating how renewable energy can deliver clean, reliable power to remote communities and help reduce energy poverty.
Only one month after the test unit left CREST’s laboratories in Loughborough, the project team had installed foundations, commissioned the battery-electrolyser, dug a large pit to store 350 metres of hydrogen-holding pipework, and connected the system to solar PV panels. CREST researchers — including Professor Dani Strickland, Dr Jonathan Wilson, Dr Lizzie Ashton, Dr Martin Bliss, Dr Toby Reisch, and PhD researcher Soustain Chigalu — travelled to Malawi to oversee installation and witness the successful demonstration.
Soustain’s PhD research, carried out with Malawian renewable-energy specialists INFLO Ltd, explores how battery-electrolysers can be deployed across Malawi to tackle energy poverty and support a just transition to clean energy. Working with the local community at Mwanza Hospital is a key part of this work, conducted through the EnerHy EPSRC Engineering Hydrogen Net Zero Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT).
While demonstrating the system by preparing a green-hydrogen-powered bean stew in the new hospital kitchen, Soustain said:
“I’m proud to be part of this research team. Being part of the EnerHy CDT has allowed me to turn theory into practice — from producing hydrogen in a single test cell to developing a full hybrid energy system. Today, this solar-powered microgrid, battery-electrolyser and storage system is delivering clean hydrogen for cooking and renewable electricity to a rural hospital serving some of Malawi’s most remote communities.”
This innovative technical development is part of the £1.5 million Innovate UK MESCH (Modular Energy Storage with Clean Hydrogen) project, which brings together CREST researchers and international partners including the Consortium for Battery Innovation, Ultima Forma, Monbat, RENAMA and INFLO in Malawi.
Alongside enabling clean cooking, the new hydrogen-powered system will also supply backup solar energy for lighting, refrigeration, and essential medical equipment across two hospital wards — further improving the resilience of rural healthcare services.
Final commissioning is now underway, including the installation of Monbat batteries, with the full system set to be formally handed over to Mwanza District Hospital early next year.
