Comment on France powers down several nuclear reactors due to extreme heatComments−dotcoma1moDoesn’t happen to solar plants.−Rygian1moTheir nuclear reactor goes away every night though.−fragmede1moObviously the solution to that is to put mirrors in space to reflect sunlight so their collectors also work at night.−sugarkjube1moLooks like someone had the same idea https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/reflect-o...−dotcoma1moPair them with wind power, that tends to blow more at night, and with batteries like there's no tomorrow, because there isn't unless we wake up!−sudb1moI was sure this couldn't be true but I couldn't find anything about high temperatures shutting down solar plants.But I did find something about a predicted grid overload during a sunny period requiring a solar plant to go offline:https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jul/12/solar-fa...−toomuchtodo1moBecause they need more battery storage, which Europe is rapidly building.−sudb1moIt can't come fast enough! I have a friend who works on battery storage in Europe and it sounds like an extremely busy time for them, which I'm glad for.−2snakes1moIs it iron-air batteries?−netsharc1moJust redirect the solar power to cool the water going out of the nuclear powerplant."Just".My 4th grade physics knowledge is telling me this doesn't work, because the heat energy from the water still has to go somewhere...−selimthegrim1mohttps://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27782370−vitally36431moIt does when it rains, or it's too cloudy, or it snows, or the panels are dirty. Or, y'know, nighttime.
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Doesn’t happen to solar plants.
Their nuclear reactor goes away every night though.
Obviously the solution to that is to put mirrors in space to reflect sunlight so their collectors also work at night.
Looks like someone had the same idea https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/reflect-o...
Pair them with wind power, that tends to blow more at night, and with batteries like there's no tomorrow, because there isn't unless we wake up!
I was sure this couldn't be true but I couldn't find anything about high temperatures shutting down solar plants.
But I did find something about a predicted grid overload during a sunny period requiring a solar plant to go offline:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jul/12/solar-fa...
Because they need more battery storage, which Europe is rapidly building.
It can't come fast enough! I have a friend who works on battery storage in Europe and it sounds like an extremely busy time for them, which I'm glad for.
Is it iron-air batteries?
Just redirect the solar power to cool the water going out of the nuclear powerplant.
"Just".
My 4th grade physics knowledge is telling me this doesn't work, because the heat energy from the water still has to go somewhere...
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27782370
It does when it rains, or it's too cloudy, or it snows, or the panels are dirty. Or, y'know, nighttime.