Superyachts are notoriously dirty luxury playthings, with a single billionaire’s boat emitting as much as 7,020 tons of CO2 per year. And while it’s unlikely extremely wealthy customers are going to give up their impressive vessels anytime soon, at least there’s now an opportunity to make superyachts more environmentally friendly. That’s the concept behind the new Project 821, promoted as the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell superyacht.
Announced over the weekend by Danish shipyard cooperative Feadship, Project 821 comes after five years of design and construction. The huge 260-feet-long boat reportedly sails shorter distances than standard superyachts on the market, but still powers its hotel load and amenities using entirely emissionless green hydrogen power.
Hydrogen cells produce power by converting extremely lightweight liquid hydrogen into electricity stored in lithium-ion batteries. But unlike fossil fuel engines’ harmful smoke and other pollutants, hydrogen cells only release harmless water vapor. The technology remained too expensive and logistically challenging for years, but recent progress has allowed designers to begin incorporating the green alternative into cars, planes, and boats.
There are still obstacles, however. Even though lightweight, liquid hydrogen must be kept in huge, double-walled -423.4 degrees Fahrenheit cryogenic storage tanks within a dedicated section of the vessel. According to Feadship, liquid hydrogen requires 8-10 times more storage space for the same amount of energy produced by diesel fuel. That—along with 16 fuel cells, a switchboard connection for the DC electrical grid, and water vapor emission vent stacks—required adding an extra 13-feet to the vessel’s original specifications. Yet, these size requirements actually make superyachts like Project 821 perhaps ideal for hydrogen fuel cell integration.
And it certainly seems like Project 821 meets the “superyacht” criteria, with five decks above the waterline and two below it. The 14 balconies and seven fold-out platforms also accommodate a pool, Jacuzzi, steam room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, gym, pantry, fireplace-equipped offices, living room, library, and a full walkaround deck.
However, these luxuries will need to remain relatively close to the harbor for now. Project 821 still cannot generate and store enough power to embark on lengthy crossings, but it is capable of operating silently at anchor for an entire week or briefly sailing emission-free at 10 knots while departing harbors or cruising in protected marine zones, according to Feadship.
This liquid hydrogen-powered plane successfully completed its first test flights.]
“We have now demonstrated that cryogenic storage of liquefied hydrogen in the interior of a superyacht is a feasible solution,” Feadship Director and Royal Van Lent Shipyard CEO Jan-Bart Verkuyl stated in the recent announcement, adding that “additional fuel cell innovations… are on the near horizon.”
Certainly, the most environmentally friendly option is to completely stop investing in extravagant, multimillion-dollar luxury fleets. multimillion-dollar vanity flotillas before rising sea levels (and angry orcas) overwhelm even the wealthiest billionaires’ harbors. But it’s at least somewhat nice to see a new eco-friendly advancement on the market—even if it still looks like a Bond villain’s getaway vehicle.
