Once heralded as the future of green energy, the Ivanpah solar power plant is circling the drain with all the grace of a buzzard over a desert carcass. Built on five square miles of prime Mojave real estate—and by “prime,” we mean land so inhospitable even the rattlesnakes carry canteens—the plant was supposed to usher in a new era of solar-thermal energy. Instead, it’s heading for an early retirement, much like the unfortunate birds that flew too close to its concentrated sunbeams and discovered the true meaning of “well-done.”
The plant, which came online in 2014, was once considered a beacon of progress. That is, until good old-fashioned photovoltaic solar panels—cheaper, simpler, and notably less prone to setting things aflame—started eating Ivanpah’s lunch. Now, Pacific Gas & Electric, the utility that once championed the plant, has decided to cut its losses. If regulators approve, two of the three units will shut down by 2026, a full 13 years before their contracts were set to expire.
“PG&E determined that ending the agreements at this time will save customers money,” the company said in a statement, which is corporate-speak for, “We’d rather not throw more cash into this particular bonfire.”
Environmentalists, who initially opposed the project due to its impact on wildlife, now have the bittersweet satisfaction of being able to say, “Told you so.” Julia Dowell of the Sierra Club summed it up succinctly: “The Ivanpah plant was a financial boondoggle and environmental disaster.”
It’s rare to see nature lovers and utility companies agreeing on something, but Ivanpah has apparently accomplished what generations of diplomats could not.
In addition to its dubious environmental credentials, the plant struggled with a rather fundamental issue: the sun didn’t shine as much as engineers had predicted. This was an unfortunate oversight, given that sunlight is critical to a solar plant’s business model. Meanwhile, drivers on Interstate 15 heading to Las Vegas were either mesmerized by the mirage-like reflection of the mirrors or momentarily blinded by an accidental death ray, neither of which inspired confidence in the technology.
NRG, one of the plant’s owners, insists that the project was a success in proving that solar-thermal technology could work—just not well enough to compete with cheaper, more efficient alternatives. The company is now looking into repurposing the site for photovoltaic panels, a poetic twist given that such technology was what doomed Ivanpah in the first place.
So, as the sun sets on Ivanpah, let us take a moment to reflect on its legacy: an ambitious idea, a series of miscalculations, a generous helping of government funding, and a wake of singed wildlife. The desert, as always, will endure. Whether the same can be said for the investors remains to be seen.
The Old Blog in the Desert 
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