"Eco-luxury should no longer be viewed as an oxymoron," says yacht designer Alastair Callender. To be honest I didn't even know "eco-luxury" was a word, or a concept; I simply figured the super-rich don't give a rat's patoot about being green.

Callender feels differently. "The future in the Superyacht design world is incredibly exciting: the industry must adapt and meet the challenges of the global economy, the 'Green' agenda and the ever-shifting 'wish-list' to cater for the whims of discerning customers."

Callender's solution is the Soliloquy, a yacht design that blends old and new technologies: Ship's masts, and solar panels. An overhead beam running the length of the boat deploys three "solarsail pivots," rigid mast-like structures studded with solar panels, each of which can rotate 360 degrees to harness the sun's energy. The solar juice is sent to the yacht's electric motors, eliminating the need for those noisy generators that always drown out the Vivaldi when you're trying to enjoy your sturgeon.

To see a video of the Soliloquy concept, click here.

via dezona