The IvanPah project - 375--400 Megawatts








Some project details:

  • Total project cost about 2.2 Billion: $5.5 per watt
  • Project footprint: 3500 acres = 14.2 km2: 28 MW per km
  • Construction jobs: 2650 = 6.6 Jobs per MW
  • Permanent jobs: 65 = 0.16 per MW


Besides the "scorched birds" issue, there are these other objections:



Marketing

Performance in the Real World

  • 25% of predicted rate (this makes it really expensive now)

  • 60% increase in use of Natural Gas in auxillary boilers to increase electricty production from Steam.

  • Physics optics problems not looked into yet

  • No energy storage because of no molten salts. Molten salts are coming to this project



    But as of May 2016, this project looks like it will be shut down (thereby wasting 2.2 billion dollars). This is because the project can not seem to fix its performance issues and therefore can not deliver the contracted amount of power that was required for the initial federal loan.

    Don't believe me? - then consult these sources