Ivanpah & Heliogen: Lessons from Concentrated Solar’s Decline - CleanTechnica

The article examines the decline of concentrated solar power (CSP) through the lens of two major projects: Ivanpah and Heliogen. Ivanpah, once the world’s largest CSP plant with nearly 400 MW capacity, opened in 2014 in California’s Mojave Desert with significant backing from Google, NRG Energy, and the US Department of Energy. Despite its innovative design featuring 170,000 mirrors focusing sunlight on towers, Ivanpah failed to meet expectations. It never reached full output, relied on natural gas for startup, caused significant bird mortality, and produced power that was too costly compared to newer photovoltaic (PV) solar and battery storage projects. Consequently, two of its three units are slated for closure years before the end of their contracts, marking Ivanpah as a cautionary example of CSP’s broader struggles. Globally, CSP’s growth has stalled despite early optimism and investments in countries like Spain, Morocco, South Africa, and the UAE. While CSP once