The role of nuclear energy in the pleasure boating sector was also discussed.
“It is possible to have a nuclear reactor on board a yacht. The question is whether it is efficient. We began research on this about a decade ago, but for small reactors, we still had to wait. We found that it is possible to integrate it into the yacht, which would then be a bit larger and heavier. However, as most of our yachts only sail for a limited period each year, we believe that having a nuclear reactor on board is less efficient. Indeed, the reactor can provide 100% of the energy throughout the entire year, but we only use the full amount of energy for a few percentage points of the time. The rest of the time is spent at anchor. We therefore think it is more efficient to have a nuclear reactor on land or floating. We believe this will come sooner or perhaps later if the production of nuclear reactors increases, costs decrease, safety issues are resolved, and public acceptance is achieved. Perhaps in 20 to 30 years, there will be room for nuclear reactors on board,” said Ronno Schouten, Senior Specialist at Feadship.
When it comes to sustainability, measuring emissions and defining life cycles is crucial.
“We are continuing the SEA Index® initiative, and today we have launched a collaboration with the maritime classification society RINA. This is a new methodology for calculating CO2 emissions based on refueling and fuel choice. It is also a forward-proof methodology because it can account for biofuels and varying concentrations of these biofuels as part of a sustainable approach. We hope that this methodology, which will soon be available on our website, will be used by people and will allow them to see the impact depending on the type of fuel chosen,” said Natalie Quevert, SEA Index® project leader.
