Los Angeles (AP) – What ever the world's largest solar power plant of its type was closed only 11 years after opening, under pressure from cheaper green energy sources. In the meantime, environmental activists continue to blame the Mojave desert plant for killing thousands of birds and turtles.
The Ivanpah Solar Power Plant was formally opened in 2014 at about 5 square mile federal land near the border between California-Nevada. Although it was praised at the time as a breakthrough moment for clean energy, his strength has difficulty competing with cheaper solar technologies.
Pacific Gas & Electric said in a statement that it had been agreed with owners – including NRG Energy Inc. – to end his contracts with the Ivanpah factory. If approved by supervisors, the deal would lead to the conclusion of two of the three units of the factory from 2026. The contracts would be expected to run until 2039.
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“PG&E have established that termination of the agreements will currently save customers money,” the company said in a statement on its website.
Southern California Edison, which buys the rest of the power of the factory with three units, is in discussion with owners and the American energy department with regard to a buy-out of the Ivanpah contract.
The factory probably seems to be a controversial loser in the race to develop new types of clean energy in the era of climate change.
The Ivanpah factory uses a technology that is known as solar thermal or concentrated solar energy, in which nearly 350,000 computer-controlled mirrors reflect roughly the size of a garage door to reflect on kettles on top of 459-foot towers. The power of the sun is used to heat water in the tubes of the boilers and make steam that floats turbines to create electricity.
NRG said in a statement that the project was successful, but was unable to compete with rival photovoltaic solar technology – such as panels on the roof – that have much lower capital and operating costs.
Initially “the prices were competitive, but the progress over time in photovoltaic and battery storage led to more efficient, cost -effective and flexible options for producing reliable clean energy,” NRG added.
A message on the PG&E website said that Ivanpah's “technology had worked on a smaller scale in Europe.” But over time it could not match the lower prices of photovoltaic technology.
The factory has long been criticized for the diversion of the environment associated with large -scale energy production in the sensitive desert area. Rays of the mirrors of the plant are blamed for burning thousands of birds. Protection groups tried to put the construction on the site due to threats for turtles.
“The Ivanpah factory was a financial boondoggle and environmental disaster,” said Julia Dowell of the Sierra Club in an e -mail.
“Together with the killing of thousands of birds and turtles, the construction of the Ondrilible unspoilt desert habitat project destroyed together with countless rare plant species,” Dowell said. “While the Sierra club strongly supports innovative solutions for clean energy and recognizes the urgent need to leave fossil fuels, Ivanpah showed that not all renewable technologies are the same.”
There were other early problems. After its much -hyped opening, the factory did not produce as much electricity as expected for a simple reason: the sun did not seem as much as expected.
The plant can be a surprising face for drivers who go to Las Vegas from South California along busy Interstate 15. Amidst Kilometers Rock and Bush Hoek of the Sun and Mirrors, it can also be blinding.
If the PG&E agreement has been approved, NRG said that the units will be taken out of use, “offer the site the opportunity to be reused for renewable (photovoltaic) energy production.” The company did not respond to questions about the expected costs or what would be of the equipment on the site.
