DRIFT Energy has unveiled its groundbreaking concept, the MVY, a 58-meter sailing catamaran that marks the inception of a “new category of eco-friendly, energy-generating vessels.” Collaborating with catamaran support specialists ShadowCAT, DRIFT Energy intends to introduce this design to the leisure market.

Named “Most Valuable Yacht” (reflecting its eco-friendly features), this megawatt-class yacht possesses the unique capability to generate, store, and distribute energy independently. This is made possible by turbines that capture the kinetic energy of the vessel and store it onboard in the form of “green hydrogen.” When its storage tanks approach full capacity, the MVY can then navigate to a designated port or location to offload this energy, either directly to a mothership or for bunker refueling at its current port location.

DRIFT Energy’s visionary technology is set to eliminate the need for fixed infrastructure and grid-based projects. This approach circumvents the typical constraints of port bunkering, insulating owners from the challenges of inflationary pressures on fuel and carbon pricing. Simultaneously, it accelerates the transition to “grid-scale clean energy,” with the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by one gigaton by the year 2050, as per the company’s projections.

Ben Medland, the founder and CEO of DRIFT Energy, emphasized the importance of tapping into the vast renewable energy resources found over the oceans through sailing vessels. He pointed out that recent climate action regression, particularly in carbon-intensive industries like the marine sector, necessitates the introduction of sustainable alternatives to hasten the much-needed reversal, as highlighted in the UN Global Sustainable Development Report 2023 (GSDR).