South East England pupil’s renewable energy invention awarded Silver Medal in London
Alex, a Year 5 pupil at The Pilgrim School in Rochester, has recently achieved a significant feat by winning a Silver medal at the Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal for his renewable energy invention which was turned into a prototype.
Alex’s invention, ‘Hummingbird 3000’, is a compact green energy generator featuring a wind turbine and solar panels. His concept aimed to provide a sustainable energy solution that could be easily installed on the wall or roof of a house, producing enough electricity to power a household. The idea was inspired by Alex’s interest in renewable energy and his desire to contribute to environmental conservation.
It was initially submitted to the “If you were an engineer, what would you do?” annual STEM competition, ran by Primary Engineer, in 2024. UK School pupils from the ages of 3-19 are tasked with interviewing an engineer, before being asked to identify a problem in the world around them and coming up with a creative, engineered solution to that problem. All entries are read and graded by professional engineers, with every single pupil who takes part receiving a named and graded certificate. The competition then culminates in exciting regional public exhibitions and award ceremonies, where shortlisted designs are displayed, and the winners and highly commended are invited on stage to receive their awards.
The Crawley team from Thales UK, one of Primary Engineer’s national partners, selected Alex’s idea to develop into a working prototype during the 2024–2025 academic year. The Thales ProtoTeam, consisting of six members, collaborated closely with Alex throughout the development process. They engaged him in design discussions, allowing his input to shape the project’s direction. Alex’s enthusiasm and insights were instrumental in refining the prototype, ensuring it aligned with his original vision. The finished prototype was unveiled at Primary Engineer South East England regional award ceremony on 18th June 2025, then submitted to the Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal Award.
The Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal, which is now in its fourth year, acts as the forerunner to the illustrious MacRobert Award, the leading prize for engineering innovation in the UK. Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal is designed to celebrate the achievements of the school pupils, students and young engineers who have all worked together to create innovative and world-changing prototypes based on a school pupil’s engineering idea.
Alex, his family and teachers from The Pilgrim School attended the official award ceremony for The Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal ceremony at the prestigious Drapers’ Hall in London on Monday 17th November 2025. The Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal Award is a collaboration between Primary Engineer and The MacRobert Trust, with support from Weir and Christopher Ward.
Earlier this year, Alex said “The incredible opportunity to work with the Thales team has been a privilege I could never have thought I’d get. From the first meetings online to the unveiling at Canterbury this experience has been mind-blowing and exciting. Even having a glimpse of everything Thales does would have been extraordinary but to go inside [visiting Thales in Crawley] and get a close look and even use some of the marvellous technology they use is an occasion I never thought I’d have. Having only seen the prototype in pieces, even the looming figure of the tall structure made me gasp even with a cloth on it. Then seeing the final product of my idea was an actual dream come true. Seeing my idea of a wind-turbine fused with solar panels turn into a genuine machine is a journey I’ll never forget.”
Congratulations to all the medalists, and you can find a full list of them here: Primary Engineer Award School Pupils and Engineers in London – Primary Engineer
Read more about this prototype here : https://www.primaryengineer.com/tag/thalescrpt25/