Two start-ups in the nuclear sector have announced a strategic partnership aimed at stimulating the development of small, innovative reactors fueled by fourth-generation nuclear waste in France and Europe. With commercialization hoped for by 2030.
First winners of the France 2030 call for “innovative nuclear reactors” projects, Naarea and Newcleo have unveiled a partnership which should make it possible to accelerate the development of their respective small reactor projects. This alliance, which is partly motivated and justified by the growing demand from the authorities, aims to create a common base to optimize the diversity of emerging technologies in the nuclear sector. Let’s see the details of this initiative.
A response to the (strong) demand from public authorities regarding nuclear power
The call for projects launched by the government aroused a certain enthusiasm, exceeding expectations, it must be said, with no less than 15 applications submitted and 8 winners. And this time, it seems even more serious than the nuclear battery that your smartphone could one day accommodate.
The country, which is betting big on nuclear power (as Emmanuel Macron reminded us again on Tuesday evening), with the France 2030 program, wanted to highlight these projects and offer them access to the Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).
Naarea, a French start-up on the one hand, and Newcleo, a young Italian-Anglo-French company, are certainly working on different technologies. But each responds to a request from public authorities to rationalize the allocation of their resources. Newcleo is developing a lead-cooled fast neutron mini-reactor, while Naarea is focusing on a fast neutron and molten salt micro-nuclear generator.
Nuclear waste used as fuel
What is all the more certain is that the two start-ups want to move quickly: they have set themselves the objective of commercializing their solutions by 2030, using used fuels to solve the immense challenge of storage. radioactive waste produced by nuclear reactors.
Laboratories common to the two start-ups could also be built. They could facilitate demonstrations with nuclear safety authorities, and necessarily promote compliance with their marketing objective.
The approach of the two companies is in any case complementary to the creation of an industrial alliance for small modular reactors, which several European countries, such as France, are calling for. In the meantime, the State seems determined to finance emerging companies, to create the leaders of tomorrow in the sector.
Source : BFM TV
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