Zero emission boating, or boating without emissions; will this be the new standard? What is it? And what’s in it for me? In this blog we explain zero emission boating and the advantages for you.
What is zero emission boating? Zero emission boating is boating from A to B without producing emissions. This can be achieved with different techniques. A centuries-old example is sailing with a sailboat, when you boat from A to B without the help of a combustion engine you are cruising zero-emission. However, most of the time this is not the case as most yachts these days have a propulsion system which is producing emissions. Would you like to boat with an engine but without emissions, than you can go for an electric version. When you install an electric drive in your boat you can boat from A to B without producing emissions.
Now you might be wondering how long can I boat zero emission? How long you can sail on you electric engine depends on the size of your battery pack. You can have the battery pack adjusted to your sailing requirements. However, there must also be space on board for the batteries, the larger the battery pack the greater the water displacement. Does a battery pack offer you too little range or do you not want to depend on a charging facility, then there are several possibilities. You can produce your own electricity using sun or wind. New is charging through a fuel cell range extender. The fuel cell range extender produces your own green electric energy to charge the batteries for the hotel function or to power the electric drive train. Because you can provide your own energy supply, you can, independent from shore power, make a beautiful boating tour or extend your range. If you want more information about the fuel cell range extender, click here.
Will zero emission sailing be the new standard? At this moment, there are ‘Electric-only’ boating routes, where you are only allowed to boat with an electric boat. There are also areas with restrictions for boats with emissions. The municipality of Amsterdam is, for example, taking this to the next level, from 2025 they only allow zero emission boats on the inland waters of Amsterdam. We cannot see what the future holds, however, we can assume that there are more regulations or zero emission areas coming.
What are the advantages of zero emission boating for you?
1) Reduced footprint – worry free sailing All water sport practitioners like to be in nature and enjoy the outdoor life. When you are boating zero emission you will not let CO2 or nitrogen go into nature. Therefore, you do not have to worry about your emissions and its consequences for nature.
2) Boating with unlimited freedom Through boating zero emission you can achieve unlimited freedom. As you can boat the ‘Electric-only’ routes and you can experience the zero emission boating areas. If you choose for an electric propulsion system in combination with a fuel cell range extender you can enjoy the ultimate freedom of boating as the fuel cell makes you independent of shore power.
3) No noise – only the sounds of nature The electric engine is quiet which makes boating very comfortable. During your boat trip you do not have to overrule the engine when having a conversation. The only sounds you hear are the sounds of nature.
4) No smells – breathe in fresh air As the electric engine is functioning without producing emissions when boating you do not have exhaust gasses. You might have experienced this yourself, being in the air of the exhaust gasses while boating, when the wind is in the wrong direction. When you are boating without emissions you do not have this anymore. Which is better for your own health and makes your sailing trip even more comfortable.
5) Reduced costs – save money An electric drive train is an investment as most of the time it is more expensive compared to a traditional diesel drive train. However, an electric drive train is more efficient and therefore consuming less energy. Next to this, an electric engine needs less maintenance compared to a diesel engine. If you are using your boat a lot, you can save money on your operational costs.
In short Zero emission boating is boating without producing emissions. Which is good for nature as the emissions will not go into nature anymore. There are more and more regulations which are stimulating zero emission boating. This is expected to increase. Next to the fact that zero emission boating is stimulated by the government, there are also advantages for you. You can make a boat trip without having to worry about the consequences of the emissions for nature, you can boat very comfortable by breathing in fresh air and only hearing the sounds of nature. You can save money on the operational costs of your boat and you have the freedom to go where you want to go as you are not restricted by zero emission boating areas.
Do you want a new yacht that is already equipped with a modern zero emission propulsion system? We have the first line of zero emission yachts for sale. You can find more information about the zero emission yachts here: www.naturalyachts.com
It is also possible to try out the emission-free yachts yourself as we have these comfortable yachts for charter. Look for charter availability here.
Are you interested in the zero emission technology for your ship? For more information about the zero-emission propulsion and energy systems, please visit: www.electricshipfacilities.com.
I hope this blog was informative and that you enjoyed reading it. If you have any questions about this blog, I will be happy to answer them. You can mail to info@naturalyachts.com Sarah - Team Natural Yachts