This alien-like field of mirrors in the desert was once the future of solar energy, closes after 11 years

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🗞️ Driving the news: The Ivanpah solar plant, once the world’s largest concentrated solar power facility, is set to close after just 11 years of operation
• The plant's co-owner, NRG Energy (see sustainability performance), announced it will start decommissioning in 2026, citing inefficiencies and competition from cheaper photovoltaic (PV) solar technology
• The facility, which received $1.6 billion in U.S. government loan guarantees, was once hailed as the future of solar energy

🔭 The context: Ivanpah uses heliostats (computer-controlled mirrors) to focus sunlight onto towers that generate steam-powered electricity, a method that was expected to store energy more effectively than solar panels
• However, technical challenges and the rapid decline in PV solar costs made Ivanpah economically unviable
• The plant also faced backlash from environmental groups due to its impact on desert wildlife, including bird deaths and habitat destruction

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The failure of Ivanpah highlights the risks of investing in emerging clean energy technologies without certainty about their long-term viability
• Despite its closure, government funding in renewables has driven advancements in solar photovoltaics, which have now become the dominant, cost-effective alternative
• The plant’s shutdown underscores the need for continuous innovation in the energy transition

⏭️ What's next: NRG Energy plans to repurpose the site for more modern solar technology, likely photovoltaic panels
• The closure raises questions about future public funding for renewable energy projects, especially under the current U.S. administration, which has paused new approvals on federal land
• While some critics call Ivanpah a "boondoggle," experts argue that government investments in clean energy remain necessary for technological progress

💬 One quote: “Picking winners is extremely difficult, and it’s not a problem that some technologies are outcompeted by others, as long as innovation continues occurring.” — Kenneth Gillingham, Yale School of the Environment

📈 One stat: Ivanpah cost $2.2 billion to build but struggled against solar PV panels, which became significantly cheaper and more efficient over the past decade

See here the detailed sustainability performance of the plant's owner NRG Energy

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