A solar power facility worth billions is scheduled to shut down next year, as it apparently isn’t fulfilling its intended role, sparking widespread public reaction.
The Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, a solar thermal plant situated in California’s Mojave Desert, reportedly had a staggering $2.2 billion spent on its development.
Comprising three 459-foot towers and almost 174,000 computer-controlled mirrors known as heliostats, the plant began operations in 2014. However, it is set to be decommissioned next year after not achieving its energy production targets, despite initial hopes of establishing the U.S. as a leader in solar energy.
The closure, anticipated for next year, is occurring 13 years ahead of the original schedule. Companies such as Pacific Gas & Electric and NRG Energy Inc. had contracts extending to 2039, according to Associated Press, but in January it was announced that they would terminate their agreements prematurely.
“PG&E determined that ending the agreements at this time will save customers money,” the company stated on its website at the time.
In contrast, NRG characterized the project as ‘successful’ but unable to compete with other photovoltaic solar technologies.
Approved in 2010, the project received $1.6 billion in federal loan guarantees from former President Barack Obama’s Department of Energy a year later.
Given these developments, the impending shutdown of the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System has led many Americans to express that it was a misuse of taxpayer funds and government resources.
One Twitter user commented, “Both a waste of money and an environmental disaster that will take decades to clean up,” while another criticized it as “Yet another left-wing taxpayer-funded boondoggle turns out to be a useless waste of money.”
A third remarked, “Another total failure and waste of taxpayer dollars by Gavin Newsom. Guy fails at everything he does.”
Others have claimed that the solar project ‘was always a boondoggle.’
Echoing these views, Julia Dowell from The Sierra Club, an environmental organization, shared similar opinions earlier this year.
“The Ivanpah plant was a financial boondoggle and environmental disaster,” she said, as reported by AP. “Along with killing thousands of birds and tortoises, the project’s construction destroyed irreplaceable pristine desert habitat along with numerous rare plant species.”
Dowell further elaborated, “While the Sierra Club strongly supports innovative clean energy solutions and recognizes the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels, Ivanpah demonstrated that not all renewable technologies are created equal.”
Efforts have been made to reach out to California Governor Gavin Newsom for a statement.