New floating solar powered resort developed by Silent Yachts
A floating solar powered resort concept developed by Silent Yachts provides vacationers, boat lovers and resort owners a sustainable luxury vacation option that avoids the construction costs and expenses of a land-based complex.
What Silent-Yachts offers under its new division Silent-Resorts is a flexible, pre-engineered set up with a docking area as the hub for the company’s solar electric catamarans to be used as floating villas for guests.
The key benefits for resort owners are that the turnkey operation can be installed in 18 months or less in any location worldwide. And of course, the costs are drastically lower than what is required for structures on land.
Michael Köhler, CEO of Silent-Yachts and a world pioneer of solar catamarans said “Resort owners will love the reduced capital investment, and the on-going operational costs will be a fraction of a traditional property. Rooms are no longer fixed to the land or any specific location because they’re on board our floating villas.”
The solar yacht experts are partnering in the concept with Victor Barrett of TrueDesign Ltd., with offices in Vienna and Mauritius. Mr. Barrett has worked extensively in sustainable development planning for projects in USA, Mexico, China, UAE, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
Silent-Resorts will work with existing and aspiring resort owners to design and develop a fully autonomous ‘land and sea’ resort running on solar energy.
Solar powered resort integrates on-board batteries
Silent-Yachts provides 18-meter long SILENT 60 or 24-meter SILENT 80 catamarans for the guests to live aboard. Each has four suites with private bathrooms and large saloons with a chef’s kitchen, a terrace, a sundeck and other amenities.
Silent-Resorts is also responsible for the infrastructure and design of the amenities and facilities at the water’s edge – the arrivals dock and reception, restaurant, pool, clubhouse, gym and spa, beachfront tented and hardwood timber suites.
The solar and battery storage systems on the yachts are able to supply power to those facilities while docked. For larger resorts, the company can design the pre-engineered villas to use the same solar system as the yachts, for a fully integrated, 100% carbon free solution.
The preferred business model for resort development uses short and long-term land leasing and partnerships. This is designed to increase flexibility for resort owners and investors.
One of the great advantages for guests, of course, is that they are free to unmoor their ‘villa’ any time they want to take off and start exploring the sea in the unlimited range Silent Yacht.
World’s 1st fully solar powered oceangoing yacht
Silent-Yachts is one of the pioneers of solar powered yachts, with a history going back to the years 2005 to 2009 when Michael Köhler and his wife Heike sailed all over the world testing the possibility of an all solar-electric boat. After successful covering 15,000 nautical miles on a test catamaran, they launched their first fully outfitted boat, the SolarWave 46.
Get more information and specs on Silent Yachts boats here in their »» Plugboats Market listing
This was the world’s first oceangoing yacht that was capable of running totally on solar power. Not just the motors, but everything. All on board appliances – cooktops, oven, microwave, grill, freezers, fridges, air conditioning, washing machine – all solar powered.
The SolarWave 46 evolved into the Silent Yachts 45, and as the company grew so did its lineup, which now takes in the Silent 55, Silent 60 Silent 80 and Silent 80 Three deck.
Along the way the company has picked up a slew of awards, including the ‘Best for Future’ in 2019’s Best of Boats Awards, a Certificate of High Commendation in the Innovation Category at the prestigious OCEAN Awards and the International Powerboating Federation (UIM)’s Environmental Award for Environmental Benefit.
What the Silent Yachts team also recognizes is that while sustainability and technical excellence is one thing – what people really love about a yacht is the luxury experience, both inside and out. Which makes their boats perfect for a floating solar powered resort.
Coming from a company that is always innovating, this latest concept seems to fit in exactly with what the world is looking for in these times – sustainable, luxurious vacation options with a hint of personal adventure. For resort owners it also appears to be a low risk venture, requiring minimal investment in land-based infrastructure.
The idea of a mini resort running completely on solar power, essentially autonomous from a land-based electrical grid, means these villa/catamaran complexes can be put in hard-to-develop places that provide exactly the kind of serenity and privacy people are looking for. It seems like a forward-looking winner all around.
