The United Kingdom has resorted to restarting a coal-fired power plant to meet demand for air conditioning after the nation was hit by a major heatwave. Temperatures in Britain hit 86 degrees Fahrenheit two weekends ago for the first time this year, pushing up demand for power as households and businesses faced unusually brutal heat.
The U.K.’s National Weather Service put out both heat and storm warnings for most of the country last week after thunderstorms swept across the country in the wake of the heatwave, disrupting both domestic and international travel. This was the first time that the U.K. had started burning coal to generate electricity in a month and a half after solar panels failed due to overheating….