MONACO, July 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A floating laboratory to test and demonstrate the feasibility of renewable energy solutions for maritime transport and beyond. In Monaco, during the days of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, the event dedicated to the future of yachting organised by Yacht Club de Monaco, the catamaran Energy Observer is moored at the YCM Marina. It is the first self-sufficient vessel powered by a mix of solar, wind, hydro and hydrogen produced on board and produces zero emissions. While planning a nine-year long new journey, this year the Energy Observer plays an even more central role in the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge (MEBC), serving as a direct link between research, innovation, and the younger generation. A real transmission is happening between the young engineers participating in the event and the professionals of Energy Observer. What students develop and test in the paddocks finds a concrete application aboard this unique vessel. The students also had the opportunity to visit the Energy Observer, discovering its technologies up close. For many, it was a first encounter with such an emblematic ambassador of sustainable maritime innovation. “Seeing the Energy Observer up close, understanding how everything we've been working on during the Challenge connects to real-life technology — it's honestly inspiring. It makes you realise that what we do here isn’t just theoretical, it's shaping the future,” shared Enguerrand from the team Néréides - UTT.