Delivering Your Superyacht Experience Since 1976
local and international
+1.305.253.7245
toll-free north america
+1.800.922.4824
 

Tag Archives: SkySail

Ultra Green Yacht to Be First Self-Sufficient Zero Carbon Vessel

Posted on

Aerial photograph of solar-powered catamaran, Ocean Empire. Yacht is dark blue with bright green horizontal stripes across the bow. She has solar panels on the flat roof

Back in December, we posed the question: Will the yacht charter industry embrace solar-powered luxury yachts, and if so, when?

At the time, the largest solar-powered boat in the world, MS TÛRANOR, had just arrived here in Miami, FL.  The MS TÛRANOR, also known as yacht PLANETSOLAR is a pioneer for sustainable energy technology on water.  She is currently underway on a global circumnavigation.

The vessel is unlike any current luxury mega yacht charter vessel. Catamaran PLANETSOLAR is a 31-meter multlihull covered by an array of photovoltaic solar panels.  Sliding along like a sailboat – the vessel is propelled by pollution-free electrical engines.

WHAT LIES AHEAD

Just one month later, there is further evidence that solar powered superyacht technology is moving ahead.

Currently in pre-production, the 144 ft OCEAN EMPIRE will be the first solar hybrid superyacht.  She will feature two hydroponic farms and fishing facilities to harvest the sea.   

Mega yacht LSV OCEAN EMPIRE (life support vessel) will boast solar powered propulsion systems.  Aside from that, she will have all of the upscale amenities of a global luxury yacht charter voyager by harnessing 3 major sources of sustainable of energy.


WHAT POWERS THE YACHT?  

  • SUN — The first and foremost source of energy is from the SUN, which powers solar cells (covering the entire surface of the vessel) while at the same time illuminating two hydroponic farms.
  • WIND — The second source is energy from the WIND, which powers an auxiliary automated SkySail that drives the yacht to 18+ knots while charging her batteries.
  • WAVES — The third source is energy from WAVES, captured through Motion Damping Regeneration (MDR).  A new form of ATMD (Adjustable Tuned Mass Damper) developed in collaboration with Maurer Sohnes Gmbh. The MDR system is basically an ATMD utilized in skyscrapers such as Taipei 101 to reduce their swaying motion. Sixteen tons of batteries are the mass while linear generators produce up to 50 kilowatts of electricity as they dampen the motion of the vessel.

 

As a superyacht, LSV OCEAN EMPIRE will liberate the industry from its strict dependence on unsustainable resources by harnessing the renewable collective power ever present in the Earth’s Biosphere.

Ocean Empire is the hopeful forerunner to crewed catamaran charters of the future.  Her build is a state-of-the-art mega catamaran with the ultimate carbon neutrality.  Her solar hybrid design will offer every available luxury within her full range of operation which extends from a 50% reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, to ultra-green carbon neutral and zero carbon cruising.

As a charter vessel, with staterooms for 10 guests, she will be capable of feeding over 360 megawatts of electricity to the grid.  That equates to enough energy to make up to 12,000 nautical miles of carbon neutral voyages every year.

 Photo of dark hulled catamaran being pulled by a parachute to show that it is also wind powered.

In December we asked if we are witnessing a new era in sustainable energy technology on the seas.  Now, it does seem the answer is a resoundng, “Yes!

This entry was posted in Yacht Charter News Educational and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted on