Hydrogen Vessel - Energy Observer, arrives in Aberdeen, ahead of Hydrogen Festival

The world’s first vessel to both generate and be powered by hydrogen docked in Aberdeen harbour on Friday 27th September at 6pm and was greeted by a delighted party of Aberdeen City Councillors and workers from the Hydrogen sector.

The Energy Observer is aiming for complete energy autonomy, with zero greenhouse gas emissions or fine particles. This is a vessel for the future, powered by electronic propulsion with a mix of energies and a hydrogen production system that produces carbon-free hydrogen on board using seawater.

The solar panels and the wind turbines onboard the vessel charge the batteries during stopovers in various locations throughout the tour of the world. When the batteries are fully charged, the excess power is used to extract hydrogen and oxygen gas from the seawater in a process called electrolysis. The hydrogen gathered is then used along with the batteries to power and propel the vessel, making it 100% self-sufficient.

The Energy Observer set out from Saint Malo in France on April 17th 2017 on a mission to raise awareness of climate change. The crew on board the vessel has been in search of new and effective methods of using renewable energy sources in their journey around the world. The six-year expedition will visit 50 countries and 101 ports along the way, taking in historical ports, wildlife sanctuaries, natural reserves, endangered ecosystems and international events. The vessel also doubles as a media platform providing positive and inspiring content in favour of innovative solutions.

The vessel has been described as a ‘Floating laboratory’ with a main purpose to find concrete, innovative and successful solutions to support the energy transition.

The Expedition Leader of the Energy Observer - Jerome Delafosse, stated:

“The ecological transition needs to be seen as a promise for a better world. Through this exclusive Odyssey, we want to make people dream, to raise awareness, to prove that humans can live in harmony with nature and that can fight against global warming can open some doors to a new economic expansion.”

The arrival of the vessel signals the start of the Aberdeen Hydrogen Festival and a further series of events take place at the Double Tree by Hilton hotel from Tuesday 1st – Friday 4th October which include: -

Tuesday 1st October: Hydrogen | “A business opportunity for the North Sea Region” – Conference.

Wednesday 2nd October: SHFCA 2019 |” Delivering the Energy Transition & Net Zero Target” – Conference.

Thursday 3rd – Friday 4th October: TAP2G | Trans-Atlantic Power to Gas Workshop.

Friday 4th October: Arcola Schools Hydrogen Challenge and Shell Eco Marathon Hydrogen Car.

The Energy Observer’s arrival in Aberdeen comes at a time when Scottish Parliament has just this week set an ambitious 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 75% compared to 1990 levels. This will require a huge increase in the use of renewable energy generation, along with carbon capture and storage (CCS), as advised by the UK Committee on Climate Change. Low carbon electricity and low carbon hydrogen will both be required to deliver the decarbonisation needed in areas such as heating, transport and industry.

Therefore, a unique opportunity is available for Scotland and the North Sea region to develop and harness new technologies to deliver the clean energy transition, which will make Aberdeen’s  Hydrogen Festival a very interesting week!

You can follow updates on the Energy Observer’s journey on their website at: -

www.energy-observer.org