APOLLO TRAINING FEATURE
NASA/JSC, GETTY IMAGES
FLOATING INTO THE FUTURE
ENERGY OBSERVER SHIP
It was once a racing catamaran that won
trophies and broke world records, but this boat
- now called ‘Energy Observer’ – has taken on
a new life as a floating laboratory aimed at
revolutionising how we power ships.
Its traditional sails have been replaced by a
skin of cutting-edge solar panels that power
electric motors. It’s also the first ship to feature a
hydrogen power generation system, using an
electrolyser to split seawater into hydrogen and
oxygen. The hydrogen is compressed and stored
in tanks until it’s needed, when a fuel cell
converts the hydrogen back into water, releasing
electrical energy in the process. Meanwhile, two
rigid, 12-metre-tall ‘Oceanwings’ sit on either
side of the 30-metre-long craft, providing extra
wind propulsion when required.
Energy Observer is currently two years into a
six-year world tour, the goal of which is to
demonstrate how this green energy production
and propulsion technology could be harnessed
in future ships – important given that 90 per cent
of global trade is transported by the sea.
CONTROL CENTRE
It’s from this cockpit that the crew steer Energy
Observer and communicate with the outside
world. Doors from the cockpit lead to the brains
of the boat: the Energy Management System.
Because different energy sources ebb and flow as
conditions at sea change, the system is routinely
switched between power sources to keep the
craft running. For example, when solar power
runs out at night, the hydrogen fuel cells are
brought into action to convert the stored
hydrogen into electricity.
TRANSPORT REVOLUTION FEATURE
FLOATING INTO THE FUTURE
ENERGY OBSERVER SHIP
It was once a racing catamaran that won
trophies and broke world records, but this boat
- now called ‘Energy Observer’ – has taken on
a new life as a floating laboratory aimed at
revolutionising how we power ships.
Its traditional sails have been replaced by a
skin of cutting-edge solar panels that power
electric motors. It’s also the first ship to feature a
hydrogen power generation system, using an
electrolyser to split seawater into hydrogen and
oxygen. The hydrogen is compressed and stored
in tanks until it’s needed, when a fuel cell
converts the hydrogen back into water, releasing
electrical energy in the process. Meanwhile, two
rigid, 12-metre-tall ‘Oceanwings’ sit on either
side of the 30-metre-long craft, providing extra
wind propulsion when required.
Energy Observer is currently two years into a
six-year world tour, the goal of which is to
demonstrate how this green energy production
and propulsion technology could be harnessed
in future ships – important given that 90 per cent
of global trade is transported by the sea.
CONTROL CENTRE
It’s from this cockpit that the crew steer Energy
Observer and communicate with the outside
world. Doors from the cockpit lead to the brains
of the boat: the Energy Management System.
Because different energy sources ebb and flow as
conditions at sea change, the system is routinely
switched between power sources to keep the
craft running. For example, when solar power
runs out at night, the hydrogen fuel cells are
brought into action to convert the stored
hydrogen into electricity.
TRANSPORT REVOLUTION FEATURE