Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

shutting down

The Ivanpah Solar Power Facility is a $2.2 billion utility-scale solar thermal plant located in California's Mojave Desert. It uses concentrated solar power technology with over 300,000 heliostats focusing sunlight onto three 350-meter-tall towers to generate steam and drive turbines for electricity production. The plant was designed to power 140,000 homes and was backed by a $1.6 billion federal loan guarantee. Despite its ambitious goals, the project struggled with economic timing, competition from cheaper photovoltaic solar panels and natural gas, environmental concerns, and engineering challenges. It is now quietly heading for shutdown after a decade of operation.