Our Scans · Novel Nuclear Reactors · Weekly Summary

• As global temperatures rise and heatwaves are exacerbated, homes will need to be built or retrofitted with passive cooling technologies such as wind towers, solar shading and white or green roofs to cool interiors without relying on emissions-intensive air conditioning. dezeen
• The space environment offers significant potential advantages, including access to unlimited solar power and a perfect vacuum for passive cooling, which could make operational energy costs up to 10 times lower than on Earth. EnkiAI - Find the right insight
• A 500-megawatt protype fast breeder reactor being developed at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu state, could be classified as a small reactor. Tech Xplore
• A new testing facility (Small Modular Reactor Safety, Licensing, and Testing center) will be set up so that businesses can safely deploy nuclear technologies, and will connect academic partners with the first SMR test loops in Western Canada. Summa Strategies
• On the last recommendation, IISTP urged policymakers to consider whether nuclear energy can be deployed fast enough to stay ahead of the worsening impacts of climate change, which the GAO found earlier in 2024 could negatively affect reactor safety if not accounted for in NRC licensing processes. Utility Dive
• New reactors utilize passive cooling, which further limits risk, feature designs that eliminate the elements that contributed to disasters like the one at Fukushima, and employ automatic shut-off mechanisms. Yahoo News
• 2025 batteries might rely on passive cooling methods like heat sinks, while 2032 batteries could utilize active cooling systems such as integrated liquid cooling loops or advanced phase-change materials to regulate temperature more effectively, preventing overheating and thermal runaway. 2025
• The Hitachi-GE entry will be an advanced BWR featuring a passive cooling system (no electric power required) and a ventilation system that filters out radioactivity. / Japan Asia Times

Last updated: 25 June 2026