London, United Kingdom
Our vessel is docked under Tower Bridge, an exceptional location in the heart of the capital, following its remarkable arrival on the Thames. It is accompanied by its traveling exhibition, which will be located at St. Katharine Docks and freely accessible to the general public.
Coming from: Aberdeen, UK
Weather conditions: Cloudy
Time of arrival: 5:00 PM
Land temperature: 17°C
Energy Observer under the Tower Bridge in London
The expedition in Northern Europe was marked by many highlights, including the voyage last August to Spitsbergen (in the Arctic) in complete autonomy, powered solely by renewable energies and hydrogen – without emissions, without fine particles and without noise. A world first!
The end of our Northern Europe Odyssey
The third year of navigation is coming to an end in the British capital, which has in place an ambitious policy to support energy transition thanks to the use of hydrogen and renewable energies. The city is also home to the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which is setting up targets to reduce the speed of shipping vessels in order to lower the sector’s CO2 emissions.
“What a long way we have come! Energy Observer was able to discover the many initiatives deployed by the major capitals of Northern Europe in terms of energy and environmental transition. We are very happy to arrive in the UK and discover all the initiatives that are being undertaken here, such as the first ever HydroFLEX hydrogen train, a prototype train that will replace diesel trains to decarbonize the British rail network by 2040. And we are honoured to have both the IRENA and IMO present at our press conference, each playing a major role in energy transition on land and at sea.”
Energy Observer has met with IMO and IRENA leaders in London, UK
The development of renewable energies
In the United Kingdom, for several years, private companies and public authorities have been involved in the development of renewable energies. And so the country has reduced its CO2 emissions by 38% since 1990. It’s better than any other industrialized country! 2019 is announced as the year in which renewable energies will exceed fossil fuels for the first time. With the objective of increasing the share of renewables to 80% by 2030 – half of which is offshore wind energy – and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Carbon-free hydrogen has a huge potential to support a sustainable energy transition. Diversity is a source of resilience, so the energy mix developed on Energy Observer shows that practical alternatives to fossil fuels do exist and can be developed both on land and at sea.
“Energy Observer shows that with the innovations and technologies available today, it’s possible to accelerate low-carbon development to meet our climate and sustainable development goals. Hydrogen based on renewables holds significant promise in the context of decarbonizing transport and other sectors that are difficult to electrify. This boat underscores the fact that energy transition brings new opportunities in all end-use sectors.”
We are proud to be the first boat to cross the Tower Bridge only powered by renewable energies and hydrogen ! Thank you London for the warm welcome.
Host Partner
Pavegen, the energy revolution is up and running
This is part of Energy Observer Solutions, the platform for pioneers committed to transforming the world. To learn more, please visit our dedicated website.
Discover Energy Observer SolutionsFacing up to the challenge of providing a city with sustainable energy
In the UK, a London-based start-up has found a fantastic solution for transforming the energy of crowds into kinetic energy. Using a device integrated in the walkway, Pavegen is capable of transforming the energy from each of our footsteps into electricity. As they walk along, pedestrians activate small electromagnetic generators positioned under the walkway. Its technology is very promising for areas with heavy footfall such as stations or shopping centres.