Bill Gates Buys Huge $645M Superyacht Powered By Liquid Hydrogen

Bill Gates, the world’s second-richest man, has ordered a superyacht that is eco-friendly and powerful. It runs entirely with liquid hydrogen for almost 4,000 miles before it needs a recharge. The only emission of this yacht is water.

It is believed that Bill Gates may have spent $645 million to order for Aqua.

Bill Gates revealed his plan last year during Monaco Yacht Show.

The luxurious water transportation is 370 feet long with five decks. It can home 14 guests and 31 crew members as well as contain facilities such as a gym, yoga studio, beauty room, and a massage parlor. The picture below shows it also has a gorgeous pool on the deck.

The most impressive feature on this ship is the two 28-ton vacuum-sealed tanks that contain the fuel of the ship – liquid hydrogen. They are kept at -423F (-253C) and is able to take everyone on board on a voyage almost 4,000 miles far before it needs a refill.

The 64-year-old business mogul is also known to be a fan of traveling on superyachts but has never bought one. He usually rents them on his summer trips to the Mediterranean.

The beautiful ship is set to be ready for its maiden run in 2024.

The hydrogen fuel is mixed with a special type of fuel cell which turns into electricity. The only emission it produces is water that can be pumped out into the ocean. The top speed of this vessel is 17 knots and is able to cover the distance from New York to Southampton through the Atlantic ocean.

Sander Sinot has been appointed as the designer and he hopes this can change the direction of the superyacht industry for a more ecological future.

the deck has a 360-degree view of the ocean and creates a spaceship-like room for the captain and 32-member. As for the master suite, the interior can be decorated with the owner’s wish.

Gates takes a lot of vacations on superyachts. Below is him with Melinda in 2005 when visiting Turkey.

Gates has been investing in clean energy sources previously with Heliogen. This Californian start-up designs smart software that controls mirrors that focuses the sun rays and generate high heat.

He has been fighting for a new energy system to cut carbon emissions and eventually reduce the use of fossil fuels. Gates said, “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.”

The superyacht will still have a back-up engine that runs on diesel in case that the new yacht runs out of liquid hydrogen as there are not that many refueling stations for it.