News: Hydrogen Powered Superyachts

Future Yachts: Harnessing the Power of Hydrogen​

There has never been an argument for building or purchasing a yacht grounded in economics or logic. Decisions are made on one of three bases: logic, economic, or vanity. Owning a yacht has always been a vanity choice, a misanthropic indulgence, until now. Today's superyachts are built with a purpose that answers an economic argument and a duty to serve a logical environmental cause. A new generation of superyacht buyers and their influencers see a world forming their views, and that world is changing. We are becoming more focused on environmental sustainability, and with that shift comes the Green "Zero-Emission" Superyacht.

Today logical arguments can be defended through the design and construction of green-hydrogen powered superyachts. These instruments of environmental sustainability are an immediate opportunity to affect the 'paradigm shift' that Prince Charles called for at Davos. The zero-carbon, zero-emission energy that green hydrogen offers is a vital component in this global realignment.

The yacht economy is often overlooked or undervalued. There may be as many as 250,000 land-based employees, building and managing superyachts today. At sea; another 60,000 to 70,000 crew and onboard ancillary personnel. Add to that, 150,000 contractors, maintenance, and seasonal dayworkers, all drawing a handsome wage. The cost of a yacht, to buy or build, is just the cover-charge, the ante to get you into the game. The larger cost is owning, maintaining, and operating a yacht. Yachts are a labor-intensive undertaking and a massive business enterprise unto themselves.

The best way to predict the future is to create it. To entice more people into the business and pleasure of superyachting, and if the industry hopes to remain relevant and compelling to future generations, it must respond to the changing priorities it currently faces in terms of design and innovation. The globally conscious superyacht buyer is looking to create more of an impact that doesn't focus solely on revenue. They want to make lasting changes for the environment and lead with innovation and clean fuel on their yacht. Designers, architects, and builders must engage progressive technologies, to deliver this unique client experience.

A green hydrogen-powered yacht is the change needed for the industry to meet environmental sustainability goals and to create an opportunity to affect the 'paradigm shift'. Currently, liquified natural gas, or LNG, is being considered as an alternative 'clean' fuel for the yacht industry. In 2016, new environmental regulations were enacted in the USA to force boats over 24m and exceeding 500 tons to cut back on their sulfur and nitrogen oxide emissions by nearly 80%. However, while LNG is cleaner than diesel fuel, it is still not the most environmentally friendly option. It is still carbon, which means it is still pollution. Green hydrogen-powered yachts offer zero-carbon, zero-emission energy, making it the best choice moving forward. As a transportation fuel, it has the capacity for localized production and is produced using renewable sources like solar power, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal energy.

Change must propagate from the yacht industry. The economic demand curve dictates that the cost of radical innovation can only be absorbed by the inherent premium of luxury yachting. History suggests that where a strong enough driver exists, shipping can make radical changes. Sometimes it is hard to visualize these changes. In the case of hydrogen, the driver for change is not performance or cost-benefit, but purely environmental. The most significant opportunity here is for the superyacht industry to lead innovation upstream into the commercial world to include cruise, cargo, and more.

The most significant barrier to the realization of a full hydrogen superyacht is not the onboard technology, it already exists, but rather the practical availability of green hydrogen within a global distribution network. Leading Shipyards; Lürssen, Feadship and Oceanco are routinely managing new build design-briefs calling for "future proof" propulsion technology and global sustainability measures. With a viable H² distribution infrastructure in place, these builders could and would satisfy these calls.

It is practical that a robust maritime Green H² supply chain can be built and operational within a two yacht-build lifespan, or about six to eight years. Land-based solar and wind plants producing Green H² as terminals to feed Bunker Ships and Barges, Bunker Ships themselves as solar plants producing and distributing H². Strategically positioned humanmade islands and offshore platforms supporting solar, wind, and wave energy transformation into H² production and distribution.

These facilities are less complex, far less expensive, quicker to build, and remarkably safer from a human and environmental perspective than fossil fuel exploration, production, and refining. Hydrogen production creates a massive potential to recalibrate global energy markets. It appeals to a vast segment of new and incumbent yacht-climate-leaders, with the opportunity to affect a positive change and invest in something disruptive.

They stand in queue; superyachts to be built with a purpose that answers an economic argument and a duty to serve a logical environmental cause. They will be built by philanthropic thought leaders dedicated to making the world a better place. They will be legacy statements for generations to come. But let us not limit our vision to a small group of green yachts. Let us focus on transforming the entire green H² distribution and ecosystem.

Click here to follow a discussion on hydrogen as fuel​

For further information contact:

Zeroc Energy
https://zerocenergy.com/

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