A startup from the United Kingdom is preparing to launch a fleet of autonomous sailboats designed to harness wind power to produce and deliver green hydrogen.
Drift, the company behind this initiative, conducted a successful trial in 2022 off the coast of Brightlingsea, Essex, where its prototype became the first vessel in the world to produce and store green hydrogen at sea. During a two-hour test run, the prototype generated six liters of green hydrogen, surpassing expectations.
Founded by a former BAE engineer and an Accenture consultant, Drift has recently secured £4.65 million (€5.48 million) in seed funding from “deep tech” leaders Octopus Ventures and Blue Action Accelerator, as well as additional support from the UK’s innovation agency. This funding will advance the development of “modern, high-performance sailing vessels” designed to generate green hydrogen as they navigate the world’s trade winds and harvest energy from underwater turbines.
Ben Medland, Founder and CEO of Drift, expressed excitement about the new partnerships and funding, stating that it will “drive us with momentum into the next phase of our mission.” He added that the support will help bring their vision of “Oceans of Energy” closer to reality with the launch of the first net positive ship.
The project also involves advancements in storage and distribution. An on-board “megawatt-class electrolyzer” will produce and store gigawatts of green hydrogen in standard 40-foot containers. An AI-guided system will optimize delivery by detecting ideal weather conditions, ensuring that the yachts reach port when fully loaded. Additionally, the vessels are designed to “shadow” other ships to assist them in achieving zero-emission goals and enhance their sea independence.
Drift aims to use the seed funding to enhance its vessel design program, expand its team, and onboard new partners in preparation for its first keel laying in 2025.
The quest for reliable and stable methods to generate and transport green hydrogen is drawing attention from some of the world’s most innovative minds. Green hydrogen, produced through electrolysis, offers a lower carbon footprint compared to traditional hydrogen, which involves natural gas and steam methane.
Future trials will focus on scaling up the size of the sailboats, which are essentially mobile wind farms. Drift plans to develop MVY (most valuable yacht) class superyachts, each 58 meters long with a power rating of 1-2 megawatts, capable of producing 150,000 kg of hydrogen per year.
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