HELPING KEEP THE SUPERYACHT INDUSTRY AFLOAT
MAYBE HE WILL OFFER GRETA THUNBERG A LIFT TO THE NEXT DAVOS MEETING
The world's second richest man has bought himself a futuristic superyacht that's powered entirely by liquid hydrogen - meaning its only emission is water.
Bill Gates is believed to have paid $645 million in order to purchase Aqua, the plans of which were unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show last year.
The luxury liner is 370 ft-long and comprises five decks complete with space for 14 guests, 31 crew members, a gym, yoga studio, beauty room, massage parlor and cascading pool on its rear deck.
But its most impressive feature is locked away in the hold - two 28-ton vacuum-sealed tanks that are cooled to -423F (-253C) and filled with liquid hydrogen which powers the ship.
Gates, 64, is known to regularly take vacations onboard superyachts, however this is the first time he has bought one. In the past he would usually rent boats during summer trips to the Mediterranean.
The new vessel is not expected to be ready to take to the open seas until 2024.
a boat on a body of water: The Aqua superyacht is a futuristic design that is 370ft-long, comprised of five decks, and runs off liquid hydrogen meaning it only emits water. Design studio Sinot said the exterior of the vessel was inspired by ocean swells, the movement of the tides, and weather out on the open oceanNext Slide
Full screen
1/14 SLIDES © Provided by Daily Mail
The Aqua superyacht is a futuristic design that is 370ft-long, comprised of five decks, and runs off liquid hydrogen meaning it only emits water. Design studio Sinot said the exterior of the vessel was inspired by ocean swells, the movement of the tides, and weather out on the open ocean
The hydrogen is pumped through a special type of fuel cell which converts it into electricity, while emitting only water which can be safety pumped into the ocean.
Despite its novel fuel source, the vessel is able to reach 17 knots and travel 3,750 miles before it needs to refuel, enough to cover an Atlantic crossing from New York to Southampton.
When the plans for the Aqua were unveiled, it was only a concept but Gates decision to commission its construction is a milestone.
Designer Sander Sinot is hoping it will pave the way towards a more ecological future for the superyacht industry.
He said: 'With every project, I challenge my team and myself to surpass ourselves. For development of AQUA we took inspiration from the lifestyle of a discerning, forward-looking owner, the fluid versatility of water and cutting-edge technology to combine this in a superyacht with truly innovative features.'
Working alongside Lateral Naval Architects, Sinot spent five months perfecting the details in the yacht in the hopes of one day being able to transform it into a real vessel.
The commissioning of the yacht is a sure sign of Gates' interest in alternative fuels.
Gates is already an investor in Heliogen, a California start-up that uses smart software to control an array of mirrors that focuses the sun's rays to generate extreme heat according to the Daily Telegraph.
The company aims to create a clean source of hydrogen gas by splitting water molecules without the use of fossil fuels.
Gates has long argued that investing in new energy systems is a better way to get companies to cut carbon emissions rather than forcing investors to pull out of oil companies when so much of the economy relies upon fossil fuels.
'By investing in energy innovations, we can build on the progress we've made deploying current technology like renewables, which will help accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to a future of reliable and affordable carbon-free electricity,' Gates said.
'We need big breakthroughs in technologies that will allow us to supply the power grid with clean energy even during windless days, cloudy weather, and nighttime.'
Although this new yacht will be run on liquid hydrogen, there will also be an engine that runs on diesel as a back-up due to a current lack of hydrogen refueling stations.
Aside from the fuel source, the yacht's other features include a wheelhouse that looks like something out of a spaceship, a huge central staircase spiraling around a water feature, and a beauty and fitness suite.
The rear deck features two entertaining areas - one upper and one lower - along with a cascading pool, sun loungers, and outdoor dining space.
There is also storage space for two 32ft tenders - smaller boats used to get to and from the main yacht - three jet-skis and smaller 'water toys'.
Computer-generated images of the yacht, along with a 10ft scale model, were unveiled by Sinot at the Monaco Yacht Show last year.
The yacht's designers said they wanted it to combine 'ground-breaking technology with cutting-edge design' and provide a blueprint for future designs using eco-friendly fuel sourcesNext Slide
Full screen
1/7 SLIDES © Provided by Daily Mail
The yacht's designers said they wanted it to combine 'ground-breaking technology with cutting-edge design' and provide a blueprint for future designs using eco-friendly fuel sources
© Provided by Daily Mail The upper-deck lounge area leads directly off the owner's pavilion area and has floor-to-ceiling windows as well as views out over the outdoor entertaining space. It can be used either as a casual entertaining space, or for al-fresco dining
The world's second richest man has bought himself a futuristic superyacht that's powered entirely by liquid hydrogen - meaning its only emission is water.
Bill Gates is believed to have paid $645 million in order to purchase Aqua, the plans of which were unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show last year.
The luxury liner is 370 ft-long and comprises five decks complete with space for 14 guests, 31 crew members, a gym, yoga studio, beauty room, massage parlor and cascading pool on its rear deck.
But its most impressive feature is locked away in the hold - two 28-ton vacuum-sealed tanks that are cooled to -423F (-253C) and filled with liquid hydrogen which powers the ship.
Gates, 64, is known to regularly take vacations onboard superyachts, however this is the first time he has bought one. In the past he would usually rent boats during summer trips to the Mediterranean.
The new vessel is not expected to be ready to take to the open seas until 2024.
a boat on a body of water: The Aqua superyacht is a futuristic design that is 370ft-long, comprised of five decks, and runs off liquid hydrogen meaning it only emits water. Design studio Sinot said the exterior of the vessel was inspired by ocean swells, the movement of the tides, and weather out on the open oceanNext Slide
Full screen
1/14 SLIDES © Provided by Daily Mail
The Aqua superyacht is a futuristic design that is 370ft-long, comprised of five decks, and runs off liquid hydrogen meaning it only emits water. Design studio Sinot said the exterior of the vessel was inspired by ocean swells, the movement of the tides, and weather out on the open ocean
The hydrogen is pumped through a special type of fuel cell which converts it into electricity, while emitting only water which can be safety pumped into the ocean.
Despite its novel fuel source, the vessel is able to reach 17 knots and travel 3,750 miles before it needs to refuel, enough to cover an Atlantic crossing from New York to Southampton.
When the plans for the Aqua were unveiled, it was only a concept but Gates decision to commission its construction is a milestone.
Designer Sander Sinot is hoping it will pave the way towards a more ecological future for the superyacht industry.
He said: 'With every project, I challenge my team and myself to surpass ourselves. For development of AQUA we took inspiration from the lifestyle of a discerning, forward-looking owner, the fluid versatility of water and cutting-edge technology to combine this in a superyacht with truly innovative features.'
Working alongside Lateral Naval Architects, Sinot spent five months perfecting the details in the yacht in the hopes of one day being able to transform it into a real vessel.
The commissioning of the yacht is a sure sign of Gates' interest in alternative fuels.
Gates is already an investor in Heliogen, a California start-up that uses smart software to control an array of mirrors that focuses the sun's rays to generate extreme heat according to the Daily Telegraph.
The company aims to create a clean source of hydrogen gas by splitting water molecules without the use of fossil fuels.
Gates has long argued that investing in new energy systems is a better way to get companies to cut carbon emissions rather than forcing investors to pull out of oil companies when so much of the economy relies upon fossil fuels.
'By investing in energy innovations, we can build on the progress we've made deploying current technology like renewables, which will help accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to a future of reliable and affordable carbon-free electricity,' Gates said.
'We need big breakthroughs in technologies that will allow us to supply the power grid with clean energy even during windless days, cloudy weather, and nighttime.'
Although this new yacht will be run on liquid hydrogen, there will also be an engine that runs on diesel as a back-up due to a current lack of hydrogen refueling stations.
Aside from the fuel source, the yacht's other features include a wheelhouse that looks like something out of a spaceship, a huge central staircase spiraling around a water feature, and a beauty and fitness suite.
The rear deck features two entertaining areas - one upper and one lower - along with a cascading pool, sun loungers, and outdoor dining space.
There is also storage space for two 32ft tenders - smaller boats used to get to and from the main yacht - three jet-skis and smaller 'water toys'.
Computer-generated images of the yacht, along with a 10ft scale model, were unveiled by Sinot at the Monaco Yacht Show last year.
The yacht's designers said they wanted it to combine 'ground-breaking technology with cutting-edge design' and provide a blueprint for future designs using eco-friendly fuel sourcesNext Slide
Full screen
1/7 SLIDES © Provided by Daily Mail
The yacht's designers said they wanted it to combine 'ground-breaking technology with cutting-edge design' and provide a blueprint for future designs using eco-friendly fuel sources
© Provided by Daily Mail The upper-deck lounge area leads directly off the owner's pavilion area and has floor-to-ceiling windows as well as views out over the outdoor entertaining space. It can be used either as a casual entertaining space, or for al-fresco dining
© Provided by Daily Mail A lounge space within the lower-deck entertaining area can either be set up for casual conversation, or rotate to face a cinema screen. Behind the seating area is the formal dining space, with settings for 14 people
No comments:
Post a Comment