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- The Energy Observer is the first vessel of its kind - powered by the sun, wind and hydropower while relying on lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen as storage solutions.
- The vessel left Saint-Malo, France, in 2017 and is sailing across the world until 2024, making its 80th stop in Cape Town.
- The vessel tests the capabilities of these technologies that will drive the energy transition – while raising awareness of sustainable solutions.
- For climate change news and analysis, go to News24 Climate Future.
The Energy Observer is a vessel powered by renewable energy and has now made its 80th stop in Cape Town as it travels across the world.
The vessel was repurposed from a racing catamaran that was built in 1983. The idea of the Energy Observer project was founded in 2013 by Victorien Erussard, a merchant navy officer and ocean racer. He is now captain of the vessel, which eventually set sail with a team of scientists, sailors and engineers from Saint-Malo, France, in 2017.
The vessel is powered by the sun, wind and hydropower and relies on lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen (produced using seawater and renewable energy) for storage.
Given these technologies, this is the first-of-its-kind zero-emissions vessel – having released no greenhouse gasses or fine particles that pollute the air, explained Beéatrice Cordiano, onboard scientist of the Energy Observer. Cordiano was participating in a panel discussion on green hydrogen (hydrogen produced using renewable energy) on Monday. The event was hosted by Air Liquide, a French industrial gases company. Air Liquide is also one of the Energy Observer's sponsors and is also working with Sasol to develop green hydrogen solutions in South Africa.
The Energy Observer has demonstrated the feasibility of the different technologies, having sailed "many miles, for many years," explained Cordiano.
Apart from testing the technologies, the aim would be that this solution would be scaled as different countries, including South Africa, embark on energy transitions to reduce emissions that cause climate change. "This energy mix can be replicated on shore at a larger scale. This represents a sustainable, reliable, and viable solution for the future," said Cordiano. "This is what we need to accelerate the energy transition," she added.
In South Africa, green hydrogen is of particular importance in its just energy transition plans. As part of a $8.5 billion offer from developed nations – UK, US, Germany, France and EU – South Africa aims to decarbonise the economy by targeting changes in the energy sector and developing electric vehicle and green hydrogen sectors.
The Energy Observer has sailed more than 50 000 nautical miles or 92 600km and has stopped in Paris, London, the Galapagos, San Francisco, Singapore and the Arctic Circle. It has visited over 40 countries. The seven-year journey is expected to be completed in 2024.
Accompanying the vessel is a free exhibition raising awareness and providing education on the energy transition and the sustainable solutions of the Energy Observer. It runs from 12 June to 18 June between 10:00 to 18:00 at the V&A Waterfront. The public can attend this exhibition, which is housed in domes shaped like the hydrogen molecule. About 100 000 people annually from across the world have managed to visit the exhibition, according to the Energy Observer team.
Education and a lack of awareness have led to there being apprehension around green hydrogen, explained Crispian Olver, executive director of the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC). Olver also took part in the panel discussion.
The PCC has held multiple consultations with different stakeholders in South Africa in developing a just transition framework for the country.
Olver said that through these consultations, some NGOs and the faith community had raised concerns over the safety and environmental impacts of hydrogen. Part of this concern was because of a lack of information and awareness, Olver said.
"People were saying, 'We don't know about the sector. We see it punted by a couple of large corporates. Previously those corporates have transgressed environmental regulations. Are we going to get the same thing?'" Olver explained.
From these interactions, he realised a lot more work needs to be done to communicate the opportunities of green hydrogen, its environmental impacts and its role in the country's decarbonisation journey.
According to Olver, modelling by the PCC and the National Business Initiative indicate that up to 450 000 jobs could be created by 2050 from the hydrogen economy – which includes the entire value chain involved in producing it.
"Those are very significant numbers. They are game changers in terms of our low employment levels in this economy," said Olver. But labour has been averse to it, which Olver said is also because there needs to be more education on economic opportunities. "If our modelling is correct, this is something labour should at least be for," he said.
Olver said the commission sees "enormous promise" in the sector.
"We have got a particularly challenging decarbonisation journey that we are going through, and I think hydrogen plays a crucial role in that journey…," said Olver.
