Energy Observer, the first hydrogen vessel around the world, left Saint-Malo after a long optimization shipyard to test and validate its technological innovations under the harshest conditions, which will be those of the Baltic Sea and the Arctic Circle in 2019.
This Odyssey to Northern Europe will also aim to meet the pioneers and solutions for the planet, in the heart of these territories which, for the most part, have made a good start on their energy and ecological transition.
The first major Energy Observer event will take place from the 21st to the 29th of March in Flanders, a key region for maritime transport. Hosted by the Port of Antwerp and the Compagnie Maritime Belge, Energy Observer will be moored under the spectacular building designed by Zaha Hadid, which houses the harbour master’s office of one of Europe’s leading commercial ports.
The second stopover in Amsterdam will see many start-ups, universities and technology colleges gather around Energy Observer and its partners. Then the vessel will reach Hamburg on the 26th of April to remain there until the 12nd of May, special guest of the Port which will celebrate more than three centuries of existence.
Energy Observer will continue its meetings in Scandinavia, setting up its village in the iconic places of the most dynamic capitals: Copenhagen from the 16th to the 19th of May, Stockholm from the 24th of May to the 2nd of June. Then it will be Helsinki from the 13rd to the 16th of June and St Petersburg from the 20th of June.
Energy Observer will then go on an expedition
The Odyssey for the Future plans to cross the boreal forest, which alone absorbs nearly 20% of the world’s CO2, the Karelia Lakes and the White Sea Canal, will sail near the Solovetski Islands and finally return to Norwayafter the North Cape in late July 2019. The expedition will go down from the Arctic Circle along the magnificent Norwegian coasts, from the Lofoten Islands to Bergen in mid-September. Norway, even though it has huge hydrocarbon reserves, is deploying a radical strategy towards electric and especially hydrogen transport to become a world leader in these technologies.
Finally, at the end of September, Energy Observer will welcome the many initiatives in Scotland and the Orkney Islands that have taken an exemplary green shift. This northern tour will end in London from the 4th to the 13rd of October, under the famous London Bridge.
During this travel to the far north, the Energy Observer teams will produce around sixty short films, available on the future media platform “Energy Observer Solutions” and social networks with the support of the Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition, four 52-minute films to complete the documentary series of the Odyssey for the Future on Planète + and a 90-minute long film that will be broadcast as a bonus on Canal+. A wonderful adventure to follow at our side!
Energy Observer, a real floating laboratory, continues its technological evolutions: caloric optimization of the hydrogen chain, development of solar energy (25m2 of additional panels of flexible and non-slip modules designed to measure with Solbian, Energy Observer’s technological partner), integration of OceanWings by VPLP Design and on-board heat recovery. Energy Observer will test all these innovations in the North Sea, the Baltic and the White Sea!
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