Is Bill Gates spending his billions on a hydrogen-powered yacht? 

That depends on who you ask. The Guardian reports that the Microsoft co-founder plans to shell out $644 million on the vessel, which is known as the Aqua and developed by Dutch design company Sinot.  But according to BBC News, Sinot has "no business relationship" with Gates.

"Aqua is a concept under development and has not been sold to Mr. Gates," a Sinot spokesperson tells the BBC. 

For those who do want one, the Aqua is powered by two one-megawatt motors running on hydrogen, which is stored in two vacuum-sealed tanks cooled to -423 Faherenheit (-253 Celsius). With the tanks full, the Aqua can travel 3,750 miles and has a top speed of 17 knots.

The Aqua isn't small, measuring 112 meters in length and capable of housing 14 guests and 31 crew. It won't be available until 2024 at the earliest, though, so you have some time to save up.

While hydrogen is certainly a much cleaner alternative than the diesel-powered engines most ships use today, it's not that readily available for when the Aqua needs its tanks refilling. With that in mind, Sinot is installing a diesel engine as a backup.

We've seen car manufacturers experiment with hydrogen-powered vehicles in the past, but they haven't yet taken off. For sea-based transport, hydrogen may be the more viable option since battery power can't handle journeys of thousands of miles without a recharge.

Editors' Note: This story was updated with the BBC report. 

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