The Ivanpah solar thermal power plant, inaugurated in 2014 in the Mojave Desert, will close its doors after facing a series of technical, economic, and environmental issues that have called its viability into question since its inception.
With an investment of 1.6 billion dollars, the plant was considered at the time the largest solar thermal power plant in the world and a symbol of the transition to clean energy.
The operation of Ivanpah is based on thousands of heliostats that concentrate sunlight on central towers, generating steam that activates turbines to produce electricity.
The closure of Ivanpah is not an isolated case
However, the complexity in maintaining the mirrors and the high operability have proven to be insurmountable obstacles.
Despite the promises of its capacity, the plant never managed to generate the expected electricity and its high costs made it less competitive compared to photovoltaic solar energy, which has seen significant improvements in efficiency and cost reduction.
The situation is worsened by the criticism from environmental groups who reported the negative impact on local wildlife, pointing to the death of birds and the impact on the habitat of species such as the desert tortoise. This situation has led to Ivanpah being nicknamed “bird incinerator” by its detractors.
The closure of Ivanpah is not an isolated case, as another emblematic plant, Crescent Dunes, also failed due to engineering and management issues, culminating in a multimillion-dollar bankruptcy.
As photovoltaic solar energy continues to grow and gain ground, concentrated solar thermal technology seems to be losing its place in the energy landscape, leaving behind a legacy of unfulfilled expectations.