$2.2 billion solar farm in California desert deactivated due to 'not fulfilling its purpose'

Experts estimate that at least 6,000 birds perish annually after flying into the concentrated sunlight

A $2 billion solar farm project aimed at combating climate change has resulted in failure, as officials were compelled to terminate the experiment.

After investing $2.2 billion in the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, situated in California’s Mojave Desert, it was expected that the state would benefit financially from the savings on fossil fuel expenditures.

However, the outcomes since its opening in 2014 have sharply contrasted with expectations.

Solar farm features three 459-foot towers and nearly 174,000 computer-controlled mirrors known as heliostats, designed to capture sunlight and convert it into electricity.

Construction began in 2010 and was completed four years later. However, 12 years later, it is scheduled for closure in 2026.

In 2011, during President Barack Obama's second term, the US Department of Energy provided $1.6 billion in three federal loan guarantees for the project.

Although ambitious, Ivanpah failed to deliver the promised energy output and surprisingly depended on natural gas to remain operational, which contradicts its claim of being a green solution.

“Ivanpah exemplifies the waste and inefficiency of government-subsidized energy projects,” stated Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, told Fox News.

“It fell short of its promises, generating less electricity than anticipated, while relying on natural gas for operation,” he continued.

At its inception, Ivanpah was the largest solar plant globally and a representation of California’s renewable energy aspirations, but its luster quickly diminished.

Situated near the California-Nevada border, about a 50-minute drive southwest of Las Vegas, the plant’s radiant towers are as impressive as some casinos on the strip.

The heliostats direct sunlight onto receivers at the tops of the towers, where the heated fluid produces steam to drive turbines.

“It’s complicated,” said energy consultant Edward Smeloff.

“It simply didn’t scale up,” Smeloff continued. “It’s somewhat of an outdated technology that has been surpassed by solar photovoltaic technology.”

Photovoltaic panels, commonly known as solar panels found on rooftops, convert sunlight into electricity much more efficiently and cost-effectively than Ivanpah’s mirrors.

Even worse, the technology is harmful to wildlife, with experts estimating that at least 6,000 birds die each year by flying into the concentrated sunlight.

“They get fried if they fly in the area where the reflection is directed to the tower,” Smeloff explained.

Has there ever been a bigger waste of taxpayers' money? Probably, yes.