Innovating cooking techniques within Woven City that are both flavorful and sustainable

Tokyo, Japan, October 4, 2022 - Rinnai Corporation (Rinnai) and TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (Toyota), together with Woven Planet Holdings, Inc. (Woven Planet), have initiated collaborative efforts on a potentially ubiquitous new application of hydrogen for food preparation. Their shared goal is to contribute to carbon neutrality and popularize more sustainable approaches to cooking. They aim to achieve this by enabling real-world experiences with hydrogen-powered heating methods in and around Woven City – a living laboratory being developed by Toyota in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

Rinnai aims to contribute to creating a healthier way of living and a more sustainable society for people around the world. As part of these efforts, Rinnai formulated “the Rinnai Innovation Manifesto 2050," a declaration aimed at achieving carbon neutrality. In May 2022, Rinnai announced the successful development of the 100% hydrogen combustion technology for residential water heaters and is actively developing a variety of other hydrogen-powered equipment.

Toyota is on a mission to transform itself into a mobility company, contribute to a sustainable future, and produce well-being for all – for generations to come. To make this vision a reality, Toyota is constructing Woven City where people will live, work, and play as partners and residents create and test new inventions. Developing and utilizing sustainable energy is part of the mission, including new hydrogen technology as a promising option towards carbon neutrality, that will combine with new mobility innovations to become the future fabric of life.

Rinnai, Toyota, and Woven Planet share a strong desire to expand the applications of hydrogen and help achieve global carbon neutrality. Together, they have targeted cooking as a significant way to validate the domestic abilities of hydrogen energy and demonstrate its convenience, usefulness, and value – the overall positive impact it can make on everyday life. Collaboratively, the companies will apply a scientific approach and fully explore all possible ways to help increase the popularity of hydrogen-powered cooking as an advantageous new approach to meal preparation. They will focus on the safest and most efficient combustion methodologies that also optimize the taste and texture of ingredients without emitting CO2 in the cooking process.

President and Executive President of Rinnai, Hiroyasu Naito, said, "As a manufacturer deeply involved with energy, we strongly identify with Toyota's vision, and are very pleased to collaborate with Woven City. As Rinnai provides products for home use that are closely related to everyday life, we feel that this joint development will enable us to take advantage of our strengths in the field of cooking equipment and further contribute to the global environment. We are delighted to be a part of such a meaningful project, and will do our utmost to support Woven City in its efforts to achieve carbon neutrality."

James Kuffner, Board of Directors Member and Chief Digital Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation and CEO of Woven Planet, Inc. stated, "Current cooking methods based on propane or natural gas emit CO2. That is why we are developing new hydrogen-powered cooking methods to open the door to sustainable, flavorful food experiences. We are very excited to work alongside Rinnai, a specialist in cooking equipment, to explore novel uses for hydrogen that can become the basis for sustainable societies of the future."