From July 8 to 21, in partnership with our host Ports of Faxaflói, the vessel will be moored in the heart of Reykjavík at Miðbakki, in Reykjavík's Old Harbour, welcoming institutional representatives, industrial stakeholders, researchers, and partners on board.
Direct air capture: filming at Climeworks and Carbfix
While Energy Observer stays in Reykjavík, the production team will travel across Iceland to document the latest advances in Direct Air Capture (DAC). Filming will take place at the facilities of two pioneers in the field:
- Climeworks : direct CO₂ capture from the atmosphere
- Carbfix : permanent mineral storage of CO₂ in basaltic rock
Together, their combined approach makes Iceland one of the world's leading laboratories for engineered carbon removal.
A stopover shared with our partner Qair
Iceland is not the first stop where Energy Observer and official partner Qair have crossed paths. During a previous stopover in Port-La Nouvelle, France, Qair symbolically presented the vessel with the first molecule of green hydrogen produced by Hyd'Occ, France's largest operational renewable hydrogen production unit. That molecule now travels onboard to Iceland, underscoring a shared conviction: green hydrogen, produced from renewable energy, is a viable path to decarbonizing maritime transport, a sector of strategic importance for Iceland.
Scaling a proven concept into a national infrastructure
Where Energy Observer has spent several years validating hydrogen technology across the world's oceans, Qair is now scaling that same proof of concept into a nationwide reality. By drawing on Iceland's unique combination of wind, hydropower, and geothermal energy, Qair is building the infrastructure needed to produce and distribute green hydrogen at scale:
- The Katanes project : an 840 MW e-fuel facility in Grundartangi, powered by Qair's wind pipeline alongside other Icelandic wind, geothermal, and hydropower sources. Surplus production not consumed domestically will be exported to Europe, creating a new, sustainable source of foreign income for Iceland.
- A hydrogen refuelling network : Qair Iceland H2 already operates two hydrogen refuelling stations, in service since 2003, and draws on Qair Group's production and distribution expertise demonstrated through the Hyd'Occ ecosystem in France.
Together, these projects illustrate how Iceland is building an integrated, decarbonized energy ecosystem, from renewable production to distribution at scale.
Reykjavík stopover: dialogue and knowledge-sharing
Through onboard visits, meetings, and exchanges, the Reykjavík stopover offers a unique opportunity to:
- Share the lessons learned throughout Mission 1
- Present concrete decarbonization pathways
- Foster dialogue on how technological innovation and natural ecosystems can work together to reach carbon neutrality