Solar Energy Generating Systems (Ivanpah)

Solar Energy Generating Systems (Ivanpah)
Name	Solar Energy Generating Systems (Ivanpah)
Location	Ivanpah Valley, San Bernardino County, California, United States
Status	Operational
Commission	2013–2014
Owner	BrightSource Energy, NRG Energy, Google (investment)
Solar type	Concentrated Solar Power
Technology	Solar thermal power tower, heliostat field
Capacity	392 MW (gross)
Site area	~3,500 acres

Solar Energy Generating Systems (Ivanpah)

The Solar Energy Generating Systems (Ivanpah) is a concentrated solar power plant complex in the Ivanpah Valley near Mojave National Preserve, close to Primm, Nevada and Interstate 15 (California), that entered commercial operation in 2013–2014. Developed and financed by private companies and public agencies, the project involved partners such as BrightSource Energy, NRG Energy, and Google (company), and became one of the largest solar thermal installations in the world, sited within sight of Mojave Desert landscapes and regional infrastructure like Victorville, California and Las Vegas Strip.

Overview

Ivanpah occupies land within San Bernardino County near the California–Nevada border and is proximate to Mojave National Preserve, Mojave Desert, Kelso Dunes, and the Mojave Desert Land Trust areas. The facility uses a solar power tower design with three separate plants often referred to as three units, producing up to about 392 megawatts gross capacity, serving utilities and markets including California Independent System Operator territory and counterparties such as PG&E Corporation and Southern California Edison. Primary development and financing involved corporate entities BrightSource Energy, NRG Energy, and institutional investors including Google (company) and public stakeholders such as the California Energy Commission.

Design and Technology

Ivanpah employs central receiver technology with fields of heliostats—movable mirrors—redirecting sunlight to high-temperature receivers atop 140-meter towers, a configuration related to designs tested at places like Sandia National Laboratories and modeled after work at PS10 Solar Power Plant and PS20 (solar power). The system produces steam to drive Rankine-cycle turbines supplied by industrial manufacturers tied to suppliers who have worked with Siemens, GE (General Electric), and other turbine providers. Thermal storage at Ivanpah is limited compared with molten-salt CSP plants such as Gemasolar; instead Ivanpah uses direct steam generation and natural gas auxiliary burners for startup and dispatch, integrating with regional transmission infrastructure via ties to substations connected with Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power grids.

Construction and Commissioning

Construction was led by consortiums including Bechtel, with engineering, procurement, and construction contracts managed alongside project developers BrightSource Energy and financiers such as NRG Energy and equity partners including Google (company). The site preparation required coordination with federal agencies like the Bureau of Land Management and environmental reviews involving the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Construction employed contractors and suppliers who had worked on projects with Southern California Edison and corporate partners experienced in utility-scale photovoltaics and concentrated solar such as First Solar and Abengoa. Commissioning milestones were registered with the California Energy Commission and interconnection studies were coordinated with the California Independent System Operator.

Operations and Performance

After commercial operation, Ivanpah entered into power purchase agreements with utilities including Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Southern California Edison. Performance metrics reported by owners to regulatory bodies were compared to projections from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and assessments by entities such as the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Outputs vary with insolation conditions influenced by regional climate patterns tied to the Mojave Desert and episodic atmospheric events like Santa Ana winds and regional air quality advisories from the California Air Resources Board. The plant has used natural gas for startup and transient support in line with interconnection practices monitored by North American Electric Reliability Corporation standards.

Environmental and Wildlife Impacts

Environmental review and mitigation involved agencies and organizations including the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and conservation groups such as the Defenders of Wildlife and The Nature Conservancy. The site sits within habitat used by species protected under state and federal statutes, including considerations for Mojave desert tortoise conservation action plans coordinated with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Reports and studies by institutions including National Park Service researchers and academics from universities like University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Davis examined avian mortality, with attention from groups such as Audubon Society and The Nature Conservancy. Peer-reviewed literature and environmental assessments compared impacts to those observed at other solar projects monitored by National Renewable Energy Laboratory studies.

Economic and Regulatory Issues

The project economics were shaped by power purchase agreements, tax equity and incentives administered under federal policies involving the Investment Tax Credit (United States) and renewable portfolio standards in California Public Utilities Commission jurisdiction. Financial arrangements included debt and equity partners such as NRG Energy, BrightSource Energy, and technology investors including Google (company), with project finance structures consistent with practices observed in utility-scale renewables financed alongside institutions like Bank of America and Goldman Sachs. Regulatory oversight and permitting involved the Bureau of Land Management, California Energy Commission, and compliance with statutes such as the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act, with interconnection and grid reliability reviewed by the California Independent System Operator and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission-related processes.

Controversies and Public Response

Ivanpah drew public attention and controversy on several fronts: environmental concerns raised by conservation groups including Defenders of Wildlife and Sierra Club over impacts to Mojave desert tortoise and bird mortality; financial scrutiny of cost, output, and taxpayer-supported incentives debated in forums involving U.S. Department of Energy stakeholders and congressional hearings where members from committees like the House Committee on Energy and Commerce examined renewable subsidies. Media coverage by outlets including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Bloomberg L.P. framed debates about concentrated solar power versus photovoltaic alternatives championed by companies such as First Solar and policy analysts from think tanks like The Brookings Institution and Resources for the Future. Community engagement included meetings with local agencies such as San Bernardino County officials and input from regional stakeholders in Mojave National Preserve consultations.

Category:Solar power stations in California Category:Mojave Desert