Energy Observer arrives in St Helena
The Energy Observer glided to the moorings at West Rocks at 4:15 pm yesterday (Tuesday 10th October). The 30 metre long and 13 metre wide catamaran is a floating laboratory; testing renewable energy technologies in the most hostile environment – the ocean. She is expected to stay at St Helena until Tuesday next week (17th October).
The Energy Observer is self-sufficient in energy, with zero emissions, zero fine particles and zero noise. She is designed to prove that entirely decarbonised, decentralised and digitised energy is possible. Her on-board technologies, combining solar, wind and hydropower, forms of storage, batteries and above all hydrogen, is the prototype for tomorrow’s intelligent energy networks (smart grid).
When dropping anchor at West Rock, the Energy Observer had clocked up a massive 57,570 nautical miles during the six-year voyage, so far. The next port of call will be Fortaleza, Brazil.
Much more on this in Friday’s Independent.