Renewable Innovations and AICON YACHTS chart the path towards greener, sustainable yachting

Collaboration leverages hydrogen-based power systems for diesel-free anchored and dockside power

IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Lindon, UT and Milazzo, Italy, June 15, 2022.  Today, Renewable Innovations takes another step forward on its path to create a greener and cleaner future with hydrogen together with Aicon Yachts. The new collaboration aims to deliver a more sustainable yachting experience by eliminating usage of diesel generators on yachts while anchored and reducing dockside electrical grid requirements.

While the yachting community has been pursuing the goal of boosting sustainability, much of the focus has been on fuel efficient hulls, green construction, and solar capture. Now, with this collaboration, there is a new category of sustainability via hydrogen.

“Hydrogen-powered systems offer the greenest and cleanest solutions on the market and are ideal for a wide range of commercial and consumer applications like EV rapid charging and scalable primary/backup power for businesses, such as large offices, retail, and data center power,” said Robert (Bob) Mount, CEO & Co-founder, Renewable Innovations. “But, our vision is to extend these solutions across every facet of life – including helping to make yachting cleaner and preserving the beauty of nature.”

As with many industries during the Covid pandemic, yachting experienced a boom as the world embraced more outdoor activities. Globally, the yacht market is forecast to hit $8.5 billion this year, up from $8.15 billion in 2020, and is estimated to reach $12.16 billion by 2028, according to market research firm Grand View Research. With over-crowded marinas and more eco-conscious yachters, the opportunity is ripe for innovation.

“Our goal is 100% sustainable yachting. We’re starting today by dramatically reducing the carbon footprint of our Italian-built yachts and enhancing the onboard experience,” added Marc-Udo Broich, Chairman & CEO, Aicon Yachts. “At Aicon, we’re dedicated to delivering a superior yachting experience  – and now we’re extending that into sustainability. After all, yachting is all about enjoying nature at its finest and bringing the Aicon family closer to the world’s oceans, with all their majestic powers.  All this has to be achieved with the goal of experiencing them while leaving them untouched.”

Aicon yacht dockside with hydrogen station for on-board Renewable Innovation’s hydrogen fuel cell systems at Bahia Mar Marina, Ft Lauderdale, FL.

Delivering a greener and quieter yachting experience
Hydrogen fuel cell systems are poised to become the leading solution for sustainability across industries. These systems have no moving parts as they are not combustion engines. Rather, they are fuel cell systems that use an electrochemical reaction to create energy. As such, they generate no carbon emissions, low to no noise, and no vibrations. While this is perfect for meeting environmental compliance requirements, particularly in ports, it’s also ideal for creating a quiet, odor-free yachting experience.

“With the hydrogen fuel cell systems from Renewable Innovations, we are reinventing how yachts are powered, based on a two-step project,” Marc-Udo continued. “First step, these systems will provide all on-board power needs: HVAC, at anchor power, galley (appliances, wine fridge, etc.) and environmentals (lighting, music, entertainment, electronics, and security). This ensures that at all times, our footprint at locations we anchor and dock, we leave nature unchanged.  Our second long-term visionary step will deliver an environmentally friendly yacht journey from point A to point B utilizing hydrogen power harnessed from the ocean’s salinity.”

Yachting is just one more industry where hydrogen can be used to transform the power equation. “We’re working across industries to help them transition to a cleaner, greener future,” Bob added. “So, it made perfect sense to collaborate with Aicon to accelerate their sustainability goals for their inherently eco-friendly customers.”

Modernizing marinas to help accelerate the transition to cleaner power
As the yachting world looks for greener solutions, having cleaner sources of power onsite - like hydrogen - will be essential. “I was so impressed to learn of Aicon and Renewable Innovation’s vision to design and build a next generation hydrogen fuel yacht,” said James Tate, owner of Bahia Mar Hotel and Resort, in Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida. Bahia Mar has one of the United States’ premiere marinas and hosts the largest international in-water boat show every year. “We are all in this together and the more we as an international community band together to improve our way of life by finding new innovative technologies, coupled with clean and sustainable energy to support our respective lifestyles, the better off we as a society will be,” added Tate. He and his partners are in the early stages of planning a remarkable transformation for Bahia Mar. “We are designing and creating a new world-class marina and luxury-branded hotel and resort, alongside beautiful new waterfront green spaces and a mix-used community,” noted Tate. While no details regarding new plans have been disclosed, Tate did share that they “will be based upon the premise of sustainability and resiliency, making Bahia Mar sea-level-rise ready.”