Ajaccio, France

30th of March: the Golfe de la Revelatta and Calvi

After two days of conveyance, Energy Observer makes its very first stop on its Mediterranean Tour in the town of Calvi, at the foot of Notre-Dame-de-la-Serra.

Girolata

Energy Observer moves closer to the village of Girolata in the Osani district, which is well-known because it can only be reached on foot or by boat, and only has 15 all-year-round residents at the most. Located at the center of a world heritage site, the village of Girolata is surrounded by magnificent countryside close to the Scandola Nature Reserve, which the crew had the chance to explore.

The Scandola reserve, protected and classified as a Unesco world heritage site

It is the oldest maritime reserve in France. In this place of exceptional biodiversity, it is possible in particular to find ospreys and red corals in shallow waters, two species which are indicators of human impact on the environment This is the reason for numerous scientific studies which investigate red coral, water-level increase, global warming, the impact of tourism and the study of ecological indicator species.

Vignola

Meeting with Myrte and Stepsol teams in the Corsica region of Vignola, close to Ajaccio, for the documentary series Odyssey for the Future.

Myrte: Renewable Hydrogen Integration in Electric Grid Mission (Mission Hydrogen Renewable Integration Electric)

Created by a union of three partners, the University of Corsica Pasquale Paoli, Helion, and the Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission, the aim of the Myrte platform is to study the use of a store of photovoltaic energy via hydrogen, as on board Energy Observer, during hours when consumption is low, i.e. night time. The energy is then converted into electricity through a rechargeable battery, on the Corsican grid during hours of peak demand.

Due to its size and integration in the electric grid in Corsica, Myrte is one of the rare installations in the world allowing the study, in real time, of the coupling of renewable energy and hydrogen energy.

Stepsol: the micro-STEP, a robust and durable storage solution

Stepsol: offers an innovative solution for electric energy production by coupling micro STEP, a hydraulic storage system, and solar resources. In this way, the water is pumped daily thanks to photovoltaic panels, before being turned into electricity overnight using turbines. A form of technology which ultimately aims to make remote villages self-sufficient in terms of energy.

Final stage: Ajaccio

Energy Observer heads to the port of Ajaccio, where it drops anchor for a few days to recharge its batteries.