France-based nuclear start-up Naarea (Nuclear Abundant Affordable Resourceful Energy for All) has concluded a strategic partnership with EO Concept, a subsidiary of Energy Observer, to accelerate the development and innovation of decarbonised energy chains. The collaboration aims to explore the opportunities offered by Naarea’s XAMR for the production of hydrogen and/or decarbonised electric fuels, with a particular focus on maritime applications.
Naarea, founded in 2020 by Jean-Luc Alexandre and Ivan Gavriloff, is developing the XAMR molten salt fast neutron micro-generator (40MWe or 80MWt). The company has received support from the French Alternative Energies & Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and CNRS, as well as industry players such as Assystem, Dassault Systèmes, Orano and Framatome.
In September, Energy Observer became the first zero-emission hydrogen-powered ship to sail around the world. In 2019, its founder, Victorien Erussard, created EODev to specialise in electro-hydrogen power plants. In 2023, he launched EO Concept to continue development of the Energy Observer 2 project, a cargo ship 160 metres long using 4.8 MW of fuel cells powered by hydrogen liquid.
Naarea and EO Concept aim to evaluate the conditions necessary to ensure a competitive production of hydrogen and electro-fuels. Both partners in particular wish to explore the advantages of hydrogen production at high temperatures, made possible by the XAMR.
“We are very excited about the idea of collaborating with EO Concept as part of this partnership strategic. Together, we share the same vision of a low-carbon energy future, where innovation plays a central role in meeting climate challenges,” explained Naarea CEO Jean-Luc Alexandre.
