Energy Observer: an odyssey to invent the future of maritime transport
Published on July 11, 2024
3 minutes
Launched in Saint-Malo in Brittany, in France, in April 2017, Energy Observer has returned to its home port, after a seven-year journey across the world’s seas and oceans. A look back at the extraordinary odyssey of the first energy self-sufficient laboratory ship, of which Air Liquide is a partner.
After a hundred stopovers on every continent, from Cape Town and Greenland to Singapore and the Galapagos Islands, the laboratory ship Energy Observer is back in France. It has sailed more than 68,000 nautical miles, or 125,000 km, with a dual focus on science and education. The brainchild of Victorien Erussard, a merchant navy officer and ocean racer who became the boat’s captain, Energy Observer has demonstrated the viability of clean, renewable technologies, including hydrogen, for maritime transport in all kinds of weather.
Towards zero-emission sailing
Air Liquide partnered with Energy Observer from the very beginning; the boat is the world’s first catamaran to be entirely energy self-sufficient, thanks to a mixture of renewable energies, including solar, wind and hydraulic, and a complete hydrogen chain generated by electrolysis of seawater. Hydrogen is used as a storage medium to keep the surplus and make up for the intermittent nature of renewable energies. The boat doesn’t emit any greenhouse gases, fine particles and almost no noise!
Exploring and promoting low-carbon solutions
Sailors, technicians, engineers, scientists and reporters have all stepped on board this floating laboratory of the energy transition. Their mission? To explore, test and develop low-carbon energy solutions, while raising awareness of the challenges of the energy transition among decision-makers and the public. These interactions with the public (over 350,000 during the odyssey) during the boat’s many stopovers were the most memorable moments for the crew. Scientist Beatrice Cordiano emphasizes that “there are a lot of people who want to change things and are developing sustainable projects, which gives us hope”. In addition to its scientific focus, Energy Observer’s odyssey was an opportunity to embark on a round-the-world tour to meet people who are committed to the energy transition. As Victorien Erussard says, “the crew and I felt a sense of urgency as we explored a world which whispered in our ears that it was high time to act. But I also remember the evenings when we were comforted by the positivity of pioneering experts in ecology and decarbonization.”
New projects are planned, with a focus on energy solutions and raising public awareness. Energy Observer’s founder and captain is determined: “I won’t give up and I won’t wait until 2050 to achieve carbon neutrality. It’s a daunting challenge and there are plenty of obstacles, but when I see what we’ve achieved in seven years, I’m convinced we can do much more.”
