France's Naarea has entered into a strategic partnership with EO Concept to explore the use of Naarea's XAMR molten salt fast neutron microreactor for the production of hydrogen and/or low-carbon electrofuels, particularly for heavy maritime applications.

(Image: Naarea)

Naarea said the partnership will also aim to evaluate the necessary conditions for ensuring competitive hydrogen and electrofuel production, while identifying the means of achieving these goals. It added that both partners are particularly interested in "exploring the advantages of high-temperature hydrogen production, made possible by the XAMR".

Naarea - formally established in November 2021 - says its ultra-compact molten salt fast neutron reactor uses "the untapped potential of used radioactive materials, and thorium, unused mining waste". Once it develops the XSMR reactor design, the company intends to target applications in areas such as transportation, agriculture and smart buildings. Naarea says that, because of the compact size of its reactor and because there is no need for it to be grid-connected, the XSMR can "be deployed as close as possible to regions, to match energy demand as closely as possible and allow the control of security of supply, at the service of industries and communities". It expects the first units of XSMR - which can generate 80 MWt/40 MWe - to be produced by 2030.

A conceptual illustration of Naarea's proposed XAMR (Image: Naarea)

"We are very excited about collaborating with EO Concept through this strategic partnership," said Naarea founder and CEO Jean-Luc Alexandre. "Together, we share the same vision of a clean energy future, where innovation plays a central role in meeting climate challenges.

"Naarea's XAMR solution represents a breakthrough technology that, combined with Energy Observer's expertise in alternative fuels, will allow us to explore new avenues for producing hydrogen and electrofuels. This partnership embodies our shared ambition of proposing concrete, competitive and environmentally friendly solutions, and to actively contributing to achieving a just and responsible energy transition."

EO Concept - a subsidiary of Energy Observer - was created in 2023 as a research and development firm specialising in naval and port energy systems. EO Concept is developing the Energy Observer 2, a 160-metre-long cargo ship powered by 4.8 MW fuel cell systems using liquid hydrogen. It is designed to be the lowest carbon-emitting cargo ship in the world.

"We are looking forward to this collaboration with Naarea," added EO Concept General Manager Didier Bouix. "Together, we share a mutual commitment to implementing efficient solutions to meet real needs, in particular through energy ecosystems. The production of hydrogen through electrolysis and its liquefaction, in sufficient quantity and at a competitive cost on the target market, is a prerequisite for the deployment of our container ship Energy Observer 2. The XAMR represents a promising medium-term solution to round out the energy mix of tomorrow and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from our modes of transport."