Enviro Firm Floats Bio-Hydrogen Airship Design

Another pioneering environmental concept has emerged from Belgian firm Vincent Callebaut Architectures, following on from the same company’s Physalia and Dragonfly designs, as previously covered by Enviro News.

This time, Vincent has put forward the idea of a bio-hydrogen-powered airship design incorporating inflatable solar cells and propellers that accumulate wind energy as they turn. The bio-hydrogen uses seaweed as a source and this seaweed would be farmed in dedicated areas.

Hydrogen Energy

The name of this new project is Hydrogenase and in a press release, the firm highlights the benefits of hydrogen energy, explaining that it can be turned into biofuel and electricity without producing any associated CO2 emissions.

The airship is pretty immense in size – standing 1,300 feet high – and comprises a number of themed areas: namely commercial office space, an entertainment zone, science/research labs and accommodation. All of these have their own, dedicated renewable energy source-based power supplies: so-called ‘mattresses’ filled with bio-hydrogen and covered in mouldable solar cells.

Hydrogenase: Hydrogen Airship

There are twenty propellers in all, and each can be rotated through 90 degrees. These allow the hydrogen airship to fly at up to 6,500 feet and at over 100 miles per hour, but they can also collect wind energy.

Hydrogenase really is a very novel approach to the idea of sustainable air travel and, although obviously slower than every commercial airliner presently in service, it does have a substantial freight capacity: it can lift 200 tons of cargo aloft.

Hydrogenase’s dedicated seaweed farm will also incorporate novel, environmentally-driven features. Not only will it boast solar cells on top, but it will also feature 32 hydro-turbines that will accumulate wave energy.

According to Vincent Callebaut himself, this extraordinary environmentally-friendly air travel solution could get off the ground within the next two decades.

Enviro News will present further coverage of the team’s progress as future facts become known.

Hydrogenase Image kindly provided by and copyright of Vincent Callebaut Architectures - www.vincent.callebaut.org

See also:

Physalia Offers Energy Efficient Water Purification

Radical New York Vertical Farming Project