The shutdown of a multibillion-dollar solar project has ignited widespread outrage, with critics calling it a colossal waste of taxpayer money.
A $2.2 billion solar energy facility in California’s Mojave Desert — once hailed as a breakthrough for America’s clean energy future — is now set to close after officials admitted it is no longer “serving its purpose.” The announcement has triggered a wave of backlash nationwide, with many pointing out the same shortcomings.
The Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, launched in 2014, was promoted as a cornerstone of U.S. renewable energy leadership. Built with three massive towers, each 459 feet tall, and nearly 174,000 heliostat mirrors reflecting sunlight to generate electricity, it was initially celebrated as a pioneering leap forward. But despite the fanfare, the plant consistently underperformed and is now scheduled to be permanently shut down next year — 13 years ahead of its original timeline.
Major utility companies, including Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and NRG Energy Inc., had contracts to purchase energy from Ivanpah through 2039. However, both deals were terminated early in January. “PG&E determined that ending the agreements at this time will save customers money,” the company said in a statement. NRG, meanwhile, labeled the project “successful” but conceded it could no longer compete with cheaper, more efficient photovoltaic solar technology.
The project’s origins date back to 2010, with the Obama administration providing $1.6 billion in federal loan guarantees a year later as part of its ambitious push toward green energy. Now, with its early closure looming, many Americans are left questioning whether the project was anything more than a costly misstep.
Online critics have been unsparing. “Both a waste of money and an environmental disaster that will take decades to clean up,” one person wrote on Twitter. Another added: “Yet another left-wing taxpayer-funded boondoggle turns out to be a useless waste of money.” A third accused California’s governor directly: “Another total failure and waste of taxpayer dollars by Gavin Newsom. Guy fails at everything he does.”
The backlash hasn’t come solely from the public. Environmental groups have also voiced dismay over Ivanpah’s legacy. Julia Dowell of the Sierra Club told the Associated Press earlier this year: “The Ivanpah plant was a financial boondoggle and environmental disaster. 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 emphasized: “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.”
