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Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 7 August 202512 sources
Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System
Company typeJoint venture
IndustrySolar energy
Founded2010
Headquarters
Ivanpah, California
,
United States
Area served
California, Nevada
ProductsConcentrated solar thermal power
OwnerBrightSource Energy, Bechtel, NRG Energy
Number of employees
86 (permanent)

The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is a concentrated solar thermal facility situated in the Mojave Desert near Ivanpah, California, close to the border with Nevada. It is planned to cease operations in 2026.[1]

This plant has a total installed capacity of 392 megawatts (MW) and utilizes 173,500 heliostat mirrors that direct sunlight onto boilers positioned atop three solar power towers.[2][3] The first unit was connected to the power grid in September 2013, with the plant officially inaugurated on February 13, 2014.[4] At the time of its launch, it held the title of the largest solar thermal power plant worldwide.[5]

Developed jointly by BrightSource Energy and Bechtel, this $2.2 billion project received major funding from NRG Energy, which contributed $300 million, alongside Google, which invested $168 million.[6] The U.S. government backed the project with a $1.6 billion loan guarantee, and it is located on federally managed land.[7] In 2010, the original design capacity was scaled down from 440 MW to protect the habitat of the desert tortoise.[8]

Named after the nearby community of Ivanpah, California, within the boundaries of the Mojave National Preserve, NRG Energy, a co-owner of the facility, announced in January 2025 plans to begin shutting down the plant in early 2026 after terminating contracts with power purchasers, subject to regulatory approval. There are considerations for redeveloping the site for emerging solar technologies.[1][9] As of 2025, NRG has not revealed how much remains outstanding on the $1.6 billion government loan guarantee.[10]

Description

The Ivanpah complex consists of three separate solar thermal power plant units occupying public land near the California–Nevada boundary in the southwestern region of the United States. Originally designed for a gross output of 440 MW across , its capacity was later reduced by approximately 12%. The site lies west of southbound Interstate 15, north of Ivanpah, California, and adjacent to the Mountain Pass mine, which is notable as the sole U.S. source for rare-earth minerals. The facility is visible from I-15, parts of the Mojave National Preserve, and nearby wilderness areas.

The system employs fields of heliostat mirrors that concentrate sunlight onto receivers atop centralized solar towers, producing steam that powers specialized steam turbine generators.

For its initial unit, Siemens supplied a 123 MW SST-900 single-casing reheat turbine—the largest steam turbine generator powered entirely by solar energy. Siemens also provided the instrumentation and control infrastructure. The technology used is BrightSource Energy's "Luz Power Tower 550" (LPT 550), which heats steam directly within receivers to temperatures reaching 550 °C. Notably, this facility does not incorporate any form of energy storage.

Final authorization for construction was granted in October 2010. The groundbreaking event took place on October 27, 2010, led by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar in the Mojave Desert.

NRG Energy, headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, was the primary investor with $300 million committed; Google invested $168 million but exited in November 2011 due to decreasing costs for photovoltaic systems. An additional $90 million was raised through the EB-5 Investor Immigration program administered by CMB Regional Centers.

The overall investment totaled $2.18 billion and included a $1.6 billion loan guarantee from the United States Department of Energy. Power purchase agreements cover approximately two-thirds of electricity output sold to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), with the remainder contracted to Southern California Edison (SCE). PG&E announced plans to terminate its contract in 2025 pending regulatory approval.

Fossil fuel consumption

To initiate daily operations, the facility ignites natural gas each morning. According to The Wall Street Journal, Ivanpah consumes more than four times the initially projected amount of natural gas to produce steam before dawn. On August 27, 2014, California authorized an increase in Ivanpah's yearly natural gas usage from to . In 2014, the plant utilized of natural gas, releasing 46,084 metric tons of CO₂—almost double the limit that mandates inclusion in California's cap and trade system. If this fuel were applied in a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant, it would have generated roughly 124 GWh of electricity. Ivanpah generated 419 GWh combining both gas and solar energy, operating below anticipated levels. In the first quarter of 2015, production rose by 170% compared to the same period in 2014.

The installation incorporates three Rentech Type-D water tube boilers alongside three boilers dedicated to nighttime preservation. The California Energy Commission approved exhaust stacks measuring " high and in diameter," with a fuel consumption rate of each.

Economic impact

BrightSource forecasted that the Ivanpah project would create up to 1,000 construction jobs at peak activity, provide 86 permanent roles, and yield $3 billion in economic advantages. San Bernardino County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt highlighted that employment opportunities would primarily benefit Las Vegas, while most electricity generated would serve San Francisco.

The initiative secured a $1.6 billion loan guarantee from the United States Department of Energy. Synapse Energy Economics estimated construction expenses at $5,561 per kW, placing costs between those of coal and nuclear facilities; however, this figure does not account for solar power's reduced capacity factor.

In November 2014, investors applied for a $539 million federal grant intended to assist with repaying the federal loan.

Performance

By 2017, Ivanpah had achieved its contracted annual power delivery targets of 640 GWh from Units 1 and 3 combined and 336 GWh from Unit 2, after experiencing substantially lower output during its early years, particularly in 2014.

In November 2014, the Associated Press reported that the plant was producing only about half of its anticipated yearly energy. The California Energy Commission attributed this shortfall to "clouds, jet contrails and weather." Performance improved in 2015 to approximately 650 GWh. Nonetheless, NRG Energy indicated in its November quarterly report that Ivanpah might fail to fulfill its Power Purchase Agreement commitments with PG&E that year, risking a default. PG&E had contracted for 640 GWh annually from Units 1 and 3, while SCE was set to receive 336 GWh from Unit 2 at an approximate rate of $200/MWh. In March 2016, PG&E agreed to postpone declaring a default for at least four months in exchange for an undisclosed payment from the plant’s owners.

In June 2015, The Wall Street Journal revealed that after fifteen months of operation, the facility was generating only about 40% of its expected output. However, performance improved markedly during the second year; CleanTechnica reported that PG&E customers received around 97% of Ivanpah’s contracted electricity in 2015—a significant advancement over the initial year. By 2017, the plant met its contractual production obligations.

The steam generation system was engineered for a gross efficiency of 28.72%. The local solar irradiance averages roughly 7.4 kWh/m2/day annually, which equates to about 2.717 MWh/m2 per year in total solar energy received.

Each heliostat mirror features a reflecting surface area of , with a total count of 173,500 heliostats providing approximately 2,437,144 m2 of reflective surface. If these mirrors were continuously oriented perpendicular to sunlight rays, they would intercept nearly 6,621,720 MWh of solar energy annually.

May 2016 fire

On May 19, 2016, a blaze erupted when improperly aligned mirrors reflected sunlight onto an unintended section of the Unit 3 tower, which was not designed to absorb power, necessitating a shutdown for repairs. With another unit already offline for scheduled maintenance, the facility was functioning at roughly one-third of its full capacity. Unit 3 recommenced operations on June 8, and by June 20, 2016, all three units were back online. On that date, solar thermal power generation in California reached a peak of 703 MW, a significant increase from the 452 MW recorded on June 7 when two units remained offline.

Awards

Ivanpah earned the distinction of "Plant of the Year" from Power magazine in August 2014. Prior to this, in February 2012, it was honored as the CSP (Concentrating Solar Power) Project of the Year by Solar Power Generation USA.

Environmental impacts

Prior to beginning operations, Ivanpah was expected to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by more than 400,000 tons. Its heliostat system demands less extensive land grading compared to certain photovoltaic installations, aiming to lessen ecological disruption. The facility spans ecologically pristine desert terrain and is enclosed by fencing to limit access by terrestrial wildlife. Nonetheless, concerns persist regarding bird collisions with mirrors and exposure to concentrated solar radiation.

In 2012, the National Parks Conservation Association raised issues related to water consumption, visual effects, and impacts on desert fauna. To mitigate water usage challenges, the plant employs the LPT 550 air-cooling technology to condense steam, which lowers water demand by approximately 90% relative to conventional wet-cooling methods through a closed-loop recycling process.

The glare from mirrors presents hazards to aviation since the receiver units atop the towers emit intense light during operation, causing visual distractions at critical vantage points such as the adjacent I-15 highway. Covering nearly 4,000 acres with mirror arrays and featuring towers approximately 459 feet tall equipped with FAA-mandated lighting, the project creates a prominent visual imprint on the surrounding desert environment.

Desert tortoise

The Ivanpah Solar facility occupies public land within the Mojave Desert. Construction was temporarily suspended in spring 2011 due to concerns about potential impacts on the endangered desert tortoise. Activities resumed after the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) concluded that the project was unlikely to threaten the species' survival. BrightSource installed fencing measures aimed at protecting wildlife. In 2010, project capacity was reduced from 440 MW to avoid critical habitats for the tortoise.

Numerous desert tortoises were relocated within the Mojave Desert; however, environmental advocates voiced worries about increased mortality risks linked to relocation stress.

Birds

During plant testing in September 2013, thirty-four deceased birds were discovered, with fifteen exhibiting severe feather burns caused by intense radiation from heliostat mirrors. Between February and June 2014, biologists documented a total of 290 bird fatalities.

In April 2014, USFWS reported collecting 141 dead birds at Ivanpah during October 2013, including species such as peregrine falcons, barn owls, and yellow-rumped warblers; of these deaths, 47 were attributed directly to solar flux exposure. The facility's bright illumination attracted insects and insectivorous birds that frequently perished after flying through concentrated light beams. Proposed mitigation approaches included deploying avian radar systems, using Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs) to deter birds, covering ponds to reduce waterbird attraction, and clearing vegetation around the site to minimize draw. Some fatalities occurred during standby periods when mirrors focused above the tower; this issue was addressed by adjusting focus zones below harmful intensity levels.

In April 2015, The Wall Street Journal cited state biologists estimating approximately 3,500 bird deaths annually at Ivanpah, many caused by incineration at air temperatures reaching around 1,000°F (540°C).

By late 2015, BrightSource released findings from a year-long monitoring effort overseen by California's Division of Wildlife Services confirming roughly 3,500 adjusted annual bird fatalities linked to plant operations. The company implemented additional measures intended to reduce these losses.

Initial reports indicating high mortality rates faced criticism; in September 2014 Renewable Energy World challenged claims of up to 28,000 bird deaths as speculative and lacking substantiation.

By September 2016, federal biologists estimated that about 6,000 birds perish yearly due to collisions or incineration while pursuing insects near the facility’s towers.

Ivanpah’s avian mortality challenges were highlighted in the 2019 documentary Planet of the Humans.

Production

The following section presents the electric output data for Ivanpah Solar, measured in megawatt-hours (MWh).

Ivanpah 1 (126 MW gross)

Net electricity generation [MWh]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Solar Natural Gas Combined Total
2014 5,632 4,460 4,946 9,130 15,879 23,722 12,277 16,807 19,743 17,455 15,993 5,922 151,966 0 151,966
2015 4,448 16,471 20,010 25,281 12,380 25,126 19,575 23,404 21,333 11,813 16,230 13,904 201,075 8,902 209,975
2016 7,599 23,686 18,427 13,284 26,006 32,875 31,796 24,403 26,860 20,616 19,663 10,440 243,479 12,176 255,655
2017 11,310 11,699 12,283 11,656 28,709 34,797 21,742 23,437 24,803 28,777 14,736 15,577 228,136 11,390 239,526
2018 16,881 9,714 18,825 14,019 19,704 36,206 21,400 26,060 29 ,267 20 ,173 18 ,055 12 ,172 231 ,142 11 ,334 242 ,476
2019 13 ,784 2 ,178 13 ,823 20 ,270 20 ,031 32 ,266 32 ,026 32 ,450 24 ,140 27 ,333 16 ,380 8 ,356 234 ,681 8 ,798 243 ,037
2020 12 ,350 17 ,961 14 ,547 22 ,355 33 ,691 30 ,616 38 ,060 33 ,299 27 ,324 27 ,041 18 ,176 9 ,713 270 ,941 14 ,192 285 ,133
2021 13 ,103 7 ,958 19 ,132 24 ,609 27 ,896 23 ,319 16 ,988 26 ,664 24 ,904 15 ,777 22 ,027 12 ,774 223 ,357 11 ,794 235 ,151
2022 8 ,191 |18 ,717 |26 ,207 |20 ,133 |31 045 |18 183 |16 488 |17 543 |25 338 |15 108 |9 920 217 597 5 174 222 771
Total 2 002 374 83 760 2 085 690

Ivanpah 2 (133 MW gross)

Ivanpah 3 (133 MW gross)

Net electricity generation [MWh]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Solar Output Natural Gas Output Aggregate Total
2014 2 167 1 304 5 604 9 596 13 020 15 825 14 350 12 812 14 446 18 157 15 350 6 632 129 264 0 129 263
2015 6 909 8 915 19 585 24 364 17 243 26 206 18 953 23 900 22 628 12 477 22 222 15 642 !210 515 !8 529 !219 044
2016 10 070 17 615 19 436 5 626 0 9 359 33 386 25 281 25 918 20 389 21 012 11 590 !190 412 !9 270 !199 682
2017 13 381 9 220 16 754 13 359 29 201 22 800 22 181 20 204 25 708 29 253 16 577 17 736 !226 850 !9 974 !236 824
2018 13 536 16 429 20 399 21 254 29 246 39 354 20 599 28 467 32 364 21 375 20 436 13 595 !264 009 !13 045 !277 054
2019 15 085 13 207 12 635 19 331 22 647 34 930 33 856 36 735 25 343 30 832 19 310 7 731 !258 458 !13 184 !271 642
2020 16 180 5 044 5 297 21 517 37 645 33 438 39 333 34 852 29 915 26 896 20 827 11 601 !269 143 !13 402 !282 545
2021 13 811 10 769 21 341 30 297 28 082 25 521 19 691 29 712 26 244 17 027 19 548 10 302 !242 094 !10 251 !252 345
2022 16 683 10 167 21 390 27 177 35 487 33 871 23 178 17 420 23 432 28 859 17 780 11 903 !261 333 !6 014 !267 347
Net electricity generation (all sources) [MWh]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Solar Natural Gas Combined Total
2014 2,686 3,866 9,409 6,107 15,885 24,728 9,340 14,451 9,562 20,401 15,834 5,587 137,856 0 137,856
2015 10,531 4,887 17,495 25,659 18,333 26,202 23,153 25,502 22,186 12,681 22,022 15,452 215,573 8,530 224,103
2016 7,770 25,953 20,546 19,539 17,430 23,487 33,667 15,947 29,437 20,307 21,377 12,242 236,684 11,018 247,702
2017 13,164 12,909 21,605 15,574 29,103 40,080 22,471 24,001 24,730 19,755 9,488 10,618 231,913 11,875 243,788
2018 18,456 17,820 19,957 26,787 27,488 40,177 21,198 24,047 30,075 20,848 19,380 10,093 266,338 9,988 276,326
2019 6,342 11,818 21,794 19,744 22,029 34,803 31,638 32,214 23,251 26,683 17,700 9,431 246,784 10.751 257.535
2020 6.818 18.825 13.534 23.023 36.486 32.562 36.500 32.983 28.786 27.625 19.685 11.796 275.733 12.890 288.623
5.590 |19.661 |21.859 |31.740 |32.646 |15.057 |19.676 |29.284 |23.155 |17.445 |22.478 |13.629 240.246 11.974 252.220
11.226 |22.714 |24.675 |28.162 |35.889 |31.176 |22.998 |19.173 |24.216 |27.802 |19.032 |11.973 273.694 5.352 279.046
Cumulative total 2_124_821 82_378 2_207_199

Ivanpah total (392 MW gross)

2015 21_888 30_273 57_090 75_304 47_956 77_534 61_681 72_806 66_147 36_971 60_474 44_998 627_161 25_961 653_122 2016 25_439 67_254 58_409 38_449 43_436 65_721 98_849 65_631 82_215 61_312 62_052 34_272 670_575 32_464 703_039 2017 38_305 33_828 50_642 40_589 87_013 97_677 66_664 67_642 75_241 77_805 40_801 43_931 686_899 33_239 720_138 2018 48 873 43 963 59 181 62 060 76 438 115 737 63 197 78 754 91 706 62 396 57 871 35 860 761 489 34 367 795 856 2019 35 211 27 203 48 252 59 345 64 707 101 999 97 520 101 399 72 734 84 848 53 478 25 518 739 481 32 733 772 214 2020 35 348 41 830 33 378 66 895 107 822 96 616 113 893 101 134 86 025 81 562 58 688 33 110 815 817 40 484 856 301 2021 32 504 38 388 62 332 86 646 88 624 63 897 56 355 85 660 74 303 50 249 64 053 36 705 705 697 34 019 739 716 2022 43 807 41 072 64 782 81 546 91 519 96 092 64 359 53 081 65 191 81 999 51 920 33 796 752 624 16 540 769 164
Net electricity generation (all sources) [MWh]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Solar Power Natural Gas Input Aggregate Total
2014 10_485 9_630 19_959 24_833 44_784 64_275 35_967 44_070 43_751 56_013 47_177 18_141 419_085 0 419_085
Cumulative total 6 178 828 249 807 6 428 635

Ivanpah was engineered to deliver an annual output of 940 GWh based on its rated capacity and expected capacity factor assumptions. During its second operational year in 2015 it produced 653 GWh, equating to roughly 69.5% of the projected figure—an increase from approximately 44.6% in the initial year—demonstrating the typical gradual production increase seen in thermal facilities that often require up to four years to achieve full operational efficiency.[11] By the seventh year of operation (2020), Ivanpah's yearly generation had attained about 91% of the anticipated level.[12]

Use of Fossil Fuels

The natural gas usage at Ivanpah Solar is measured in million British thermal units (Btu). To provide context, 1 MWh corresponds roughly to 3.4 million Btu.

Ivanpah 1

Natural gas usage (million Btu)
Year Jan !Feb !Mar !Apr !May !Jun !Jul !Aug !Sep !Oct !Nov !Dec !Annual Total
2014 31,760 18,369 9,703 22,767 27,198 59,739 37,609 24,261 24,387 14,670 NR NR 270,463
2015 8,249 28,789 29,352 43,618 32,783 49,351 50,815 45,301 38,393 20,485 30,577 33,405 411,118
2016 25,620 37,072 52,382 27,248 53,663 59,477 59,281 48,803 38,492 32,974 24,621 21,420 481,053
2017 28,741 28,074 23,267 40,726 26,001 58,778 52,522 49,036 50,714 20,252 20,901 15,212 357,859
2018 36,314 15,816 35,324 24,087 30,421 70,159 63,494 71,117 35,154 29,440 11,153 30,804 453,283
2019 38,476 10,505 31,693 41,240 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 121,914
Cumulative Total 1,942,972

Ivanpah 2

Natural gas usage (million Btu)
Year Jan !Feb !Mar !Apr !May !Jun !Jul !Aug !Sep !Oct !Nov !Dec !Annual Total
2014 41,657 13,645 18,319 16,234 21,420 34,324 38,984 22,105 22,100 12,976 13,663 19,446 274,873
2015 14,630 19,544 32,438 29,600 42,063 49,999 39.171 43.540 39.894 24.949 33.994 37.370 407.192
2016 36.861 29.874 49.996 14.780 0 21.706 52.315 38.057 34.092 34.587 29.525 23.088 364.881
2017 28.550 26.091 34.818 60.626 30.140 40.428 43.744 23.295 42.716 28.157 24.562 19.038 402.165
2018 32.525 24.106 36.828 23.580 42.921 56.040 52.336 82.818 74.222 28.563 11.882 22.839 497.660
2019 42.768 14.567 22.498 39.362 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 119.195
Aggregate Total 1 ,923 ,932


Ivanpah 3

Natural gas usage (million Btu)
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual Total
2014 29,309 18,498 22,532 13,624 25,321 56,292 33,508 26,337 21,487 15,390 NR NR 262 ,298
2015 8 ,460 |29 ,072 |38 ,642 |43 ,708 |48 ,695 |40 ,115 |60 ,249 |36 ,547 |20 ,547 |44 ,193 |39 ,975 427 ,676
36 ,645 |41 ,799 |52 ,801 |42 ,714 |27 ,006 |41 ,573 |52 ,577 |22 ,031 |33 ,361 |34 ,512 |29 ,580 |29 ,875 444 ,474
30 ,930 |27 ,660 |32 ,173 |35 ,459 |26 ,456 |65 ,677 |47 ,956 |43 ,363 |52 ,544 |15 ,867 |11 ,493 |11 ,945 401 ,523
36 ,667 |28 ,583 |57 ,746 |53 ,768 |7 ,086 |59 ,954 |21 ,139 |35 ,930 |36 ,435 |21 ,661 |5 ,918 |13 ,448 378 ,335
14 ,887 |22 ,456 |39 ,329 |31 ,723 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a 108 ,395
colspan="13"  Total 1 900 701


Ivanpah total

Natural gas usage (million Btu)
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Annual total
2014 102,726 50,512 50,554 52,625 73,939 150,355 110,101 72,703 67,974 43,036 NR NR 774,525
2015 40,352 56,793 90,862 111,860 118,554 148,045 130,101 149,090 114,834 65,981 108,764 110,750 1,245,986
2016 108,745 |155,179 |84,742 |80,669 |122,756 |164,173 |108,891 |105,945 |102,073 |83,626 |74,383 1,290,308
2017 81,825 |90,258 |136,811 |82,597 |164,883 |144,222 |115,694 |145,974 |64,276 |56,956 |46,195 1,217,912
2018 68,505 |129,898 |110,435 |80,428 |186,153 |136,969 |189,865 |145,811 |79,664 |28,953 |67,091 1,329,278
2019 47,528 |93,520 |112,325 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a 349,504
colspan=13>Total 5,790,918

NR = Not reported n/a = Not available

In popular culture

The design of the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility served as inspiration for the HELIOS One solar plant depicted in the video game Fallout: New Vegas. Additionally, the American rock group The Fray drew creative influence from the plant when naming their 2014 album Helios. The album’s cover features an aerial image of the facility that is also showcased in the lyric video for their song Love Don't Die.

See also

Further reading

External links

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named CNN2025_02
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named woody
  3. ↑ "Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System Tower 2 - the Skyscraper Center".
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named AP
  5. ↑ "World largest solar thermal plant syncs to the grid". IEEE. 26 September 2013.
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named waldgoog
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named foxnews
  8. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com
  9. ↑ "11 years after a celebrated opening, massive solar plant faces a bleak future in the Mojave Desert - The Nevada Independent". 2025-02-02.
  10. ↑ James Leggate (13 February 2025). "Older Ivanpah Solar Plant in California Will Close Units, as Tech Shifts". Engineering News-Record.
  11. ↑ SolarPACES highlights that thermal plants may need up to four years to reach optimal performance.
  12. ↑ DOE Loan Programs Office data

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