In a striking blow to renewable energy ambitions, the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility in California’s Mojave Desert will shut down in 2026 after years of unmet goals and staggering losses.

Once hailed by Obama-era officials as a pioneering solar venture, the $2.2 billion project fell short of expectations, plagued by inefficiency, soaring costs, and unexpected environmental damage, leading to its closure, as the New York Post reports.

Nestled 65 miles southwest of Las Vegas near the California-Nevada border, Ivanpah covers five square miles of desert terrain. Its construction kicked off in 2010 with hopes of revolutionizing clean energy in the U.S.

Bold dream of solar innovation takes root

By 2014, the facility stood complete with three towering 459-foot structures and over 173,500 computer-guided mirrors, or heliostats. These mirrors aimed to concentrate sunlight onto the towers, heating fluid to produce steam for turbine power at temperatures up to 1,000 degrees. It debuted as the world’s largest solar plant of its type.

The project gained massive federal support, securing $1.6 billion in loan guarantees from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2011. Ernest Moniz, then-secretary of Energy, praised it as “an example of how America is becoming a world leader in solar energy.”

NRG Energy, a key private backer, invested $300 million in the effort. The vision was to aid California’s shift to renewables with a cost-effective solution to cut fossil fuel use.

Early signs of costly challenges emerge

Yet, Ivanpah soon stumbled with its solar thermal approach, failing to produce the anticipated electricity. It often depended on natural gas to keep running, undermining its clean energy promise.

Edward Smeloff, an alternative energy expert, described the intricate system, saying, “The idea was that you could use the sun to produce a heat source.”

He elaborated, “The mirrors reflect heat from the sun up to a receiver, which is mounted on top of the tower. That heats a fluid. It creates steam [that spins] a conventional steam turbine.”

Environmental toll, tech setbacks unfold

Smeloff also pointed out the design’s flaws, noting, “It simply did not scale up. It’s kind of an obsolete technology [that’s] been outpaced by solar photovoltaic technology.” Photovoltaic systems, which turn sunlight directly into power using semiconductors, have emerged as cheaper and more effective.

The plant also harmed local wildlife, with the Association of Avian Veterinarians reporting at least 6,000 bird deaths yearly. Smeloff explained, “If they fly in the area where the reflection is going up to the tower,” birds risk deadly burns.

Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, condemned the outcome, stating, “Ivanpah stands as a testament to the waste and inefficiency of government-subsidized energy schemes. It never lived up to its promises, producing less electricity than expected, while relying on natural gas to stay operational.”

Reflections on a failed energy bet

NRG Energy reflected on the changing industry, saying, “When the power purchase agreements were signed in 2009, the prices were competitive, but advancements over time … have led to more efficient, cost-effective and flexible options for producing reliable clean energy.” This shift left Ivanpah outdated.

Steven Milloy, a senior fellow at the Energy & Environmental Legal Institute, criticized such public investments, declaring, “No green project relying on taxpayer subsidies has ever made any economic or environmental sense.” He called for halting similar funding.

With Ivanpah’s closure set for 2026, its saga underscores the pitfalls of massive, publicly funded energy projects compared to nimbler private efforts. A World Economic Forum report highlighted, “Unlike public market investors, private equity firms can implement transformative changes through hands-on management and aligned incentives.” This costly misstep offers critical lessons for future green initiatives.