Renewable energy-powered boat sets off on six-year journey
A boat powered by solar panels, wind turbines and a hydrogen fuel cell system has begun a six-year journey around the world to raise awareness about renewable energy. Originally designed in 1983, the $5.25m Energy Observer will rely on solar and wind power during the day, turning to the fuel cell at night and will produce its own hydrogen via electrolysis of sea water. She was previously an open-sea racing vessel, before being converted by skippers Frederic Dahirel and Victorien Erussard and a French research institute.

In this Tuesday, July 4, 2017 file photo, the Energy Observer, a former race boat turned into a autonomous navigation with hydrogen, sails on the Seine river in Paris. A boat that fuels itself is setting off from Paris Saturday, July 15, 2017, on a six-year round-the-world journey that its designers hope serves as a model for emissions-free energy networks of the future. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu, File)

A boat that fuels itself is setting off around the world from Paris on a six-year journey that its designers hope will serves as a model for emissions-free energy networks of the future.

Energy Observer will use its solar panels, wind turbines and a hydrogen fuel cell system to power its trip. The 5 million-euro ($5.25 million) boat heads off Saturday from Paris toward the Atlantic.

The futuristic-looking 30.5-meter (100-foot) boat will rely on sun or wind during the day and tap into its hydrogen reservoirs at night. It produces its own hydrogen through electrolysis of sea water.

Originally designed in 1983, the boat enjoyed a successful career in open-sea sailing races before skippers Frederic Dahirel and Victorien Erussard and a French research institute converted it into the Energy Observer project.

In this Tuesday, July 4, 2017 file photo, the Energy Observer, a former race boat turned into a autonomous navigation with hydrogen, sails past the Eiffel Tower on the Seine river in Paris. A boat that fuels itself is setting off from Paris on a six-year, round-the-world journey that its designers hope serves as a model for emissions-free energy networks of the future. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu, File)

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