The Research Council of Norway (Research Council of Norway) has allocated 2 million dollars in funding to the Marine Nuclear Propulsion System (MarNuPS) project. This project is led by Emerald Nuclear, an American company active in the production of micro reactors.
Details of the MarNuPS Project
The MarNuPS project aims to develop nuclear power systems for ships and barges. The goal of this project is to research and develop innovative technologies in marine transportation using nuclear energy. This project is of particular importance due to the expertise of its collaborators and their experiences in marine technology.
Emerald Nuclear is a startup in the field of micro reactors specifically designed for marine applications. The company is run by an experienced nuclear engineer from the aerospace industry and a former officer of naval reactors. The design of these reactors is based on the use of TRISO coated fuel pellets. These reactors require refueling every five to fifteen years, and the company's business plan is based on leasing the reactors rather than selling them.
Project Partners and Future Goals
Alongside Emerald Nuclear, other project partners include the service vessel operator Island Offshore, the specialized shipbuilder VARD, which is part of Fincantieri, NTNU University, a leading center in marine technology research, Imperial College London, and Maskindynamikk, a company specializing in machinery monitoring.
The total cost of this project in the first phase of research is estimated to be around 15 million dollars. Hallgeir Juliebø, one of the founders and the Chief Commercial Officer of Emerald Nuclear, commented on this funding: "This award is a sign of recognition and a step forward, not only in terms of scale but also in terms of the credibility of this project." He also added that this support will help their program move from the design and analysis phase to the construction and testing of a complete integrated system.
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