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Climate change

A hydrogen-powered boat is touring the world’s oceans

The ship is circling the planet without the benefit of fossil fuels.

The tour: The Energy Observer is a Toyota-sponsored vessel on a six-year global tour powered by solar, wave, hydrogen, and wind (yeah, this one isn’t that revolutionary) power. During that time it will visit 50 countries, including Italy, where it will stop today in Venice.

How it works: The ship removes the salt and ions from ocean water, and then separates it into its base elements: hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is stored until it's needed for fuel. Solar panels and wind turbines supplement the power.

Why it matters: The crew is determined to show the feasibility of hydrogen power—which has struggled to find a practical and affordable everyday use—both at sea and on land. As the ship’s captain, Victorien Erussard, told Wired, “the idea with this ship is to prove a potential energy system of the future.”

Deep Dive

Climate change

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If Fervo Energy’s field results work at commercial scale, it could become cheaper and easier to green the grid.

Researchers launched a solar geoengineering test flight in the UK last fall

The experiment, largely designed to test equipment, took place despite deep concerns about the technology.

The UN just handed out an urgent climate to-do list. Here’s what it says.

Cheap and available technologies can help us meet climate goals this decade: here’s how, according to the new UN climate report.

These companies want to go beyond batteries to store energy

Physical energy storage could be a cheap and long-lasting way to stabilize the grid.

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Illustration by Rose Wong

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