The Innovations

During long navigations, energy is precious and every kWh counts to allow our crew to reach their destination. Slowing down our average speed is often the best way to save energy and extend our autonomy.

Energy Observer's first transpacific journey has ended after 25 days at sea with changing but generally favourable weather conditions.

The weather conditions were quite challenging for the beginning of our very first transpacific!

Only consume what we are capable to producing, and no more than what nature can give us: that's what the boat and crew manage to do on a daily basis!

The 18th of April was an expected and important day for Energy Observer, which has equipped itself with a new technological brick for wind propulsion: two Oceanwings®, rotating, self-supporting and 100% automated, which will increase the vessel’s speed and produce hydrogen during navigation by sea water electrolysis.

Although it’s an inexhaustible resource at sea, wind is still difficult to exploit for large scale maritime transport. In its role as an experimental vessel, Energy Observer has set its mission to test all of the available and promising solutions.

Wind may be an infinite resource at sea, but its exploitation remains a challenge for large-scale maritime transport. During the first campaigns around France and in the Mediterranean sea, the Energy Observer tested two vertical-axis wind turbines for producing energy, and a traction kite to reduce energy consumption.

Energy Observer has just completed the second chapter of its Odyssey: the Mediterranean Sea.

Already 10,326 nautical miles covered by Energy Observer. Having set out from Saint-Malo in June 2017, the first hydrogen vessel around the world has made 33 stopovers and has been to 14 countries, navigating in France and the Mediterranean with no emissions of greenhouse gases or fine particles.

In the Puglia region, 40% of wind turbine power is lost. Energy Observer’s film crew went to see how this shortfall can be turned into hydrogen.

Following the Saint Nazaire halt, Energy Observer, the vessel of the future, tested two Beyond the Sea traction kites.