Ivanpah Solar Power Plant keeps burning fossil fuels and killing thousands of birds
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 3
Ivanpah Solar Power Plant keeps burning fossil fuels and killing thousands of birds
5 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 3
At the 4,000-acre Mojave Desert site near the California-Nevada border, operators burn natural gas daily, emitting about 25,000 to 30,000 metric tons of CO2 a year.
Federal studies and California monitoring reports say concentrated solar beams injure or kill birds, while critics also cite habitat disruption affecting desert tortoises and other wildlife.
Built with more than $1.6 billion in federal loans and a $539 million Treasury grant, the plant remains open because California regulators say its power is still needed.
This solar plant costs five times more than new tech. Why is it still running?
When does a 'clean energy' project become a billion-dollar environmental disaster?
Ivanpah Solar Power Plant’s Partial Decommissioning: Cost, Wildlife Impact, and the Future of Renewable Energy
Overview
The Ivanpah Solar Power Plant is set to shut down two of its three units by 2026 after terminating costly power purchase agreements with PG&E. This decision was driven by the sharp drop in photovoltaic (PV) solar costs, which made Ivanpah's concentrating solar power (CSP) technology financially uncompetitive. The plant's lack of on-site battery storage forced reliance on natural gas for startup and cloudy periods, reducing its operational flexibility and increasing emissions. While mitigation efforts have lowered bird mortality, inadequate pre-construction surveys underestimated impacts on the desert tortoise, leading to habitat loss and relocations. The remaining unit will continue operating due to grid reliability needs, and the site may be repurposed for more cost-effective PV solar with storage, reflecting a shift toward simpler, cleaner energy solutions.