Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, Thermal solar power station in Mojave Desert, California
Ivanpah is a thermal solar facility in the Mojave Desert area of California where thousands of mirrors direct sunlight toward three tall towers to generate steam. The mirrors, called heliostats, stand in rows across the dry valley and follow the sun's path during the day.
The facility opened in February 2014 after several years of construction and was the largest of its kind worldwide at that time. Its construction marked an important phase in the development of concentrated solar systems in the western desert region.
The name Ivanpah comes from an old railroad siding that once carried travelers through this empty desert before the mirrors were built here. Today the three towers glow from a distance, and drivers on the interstate often notice the bright light rising from the center of each array.
The site lies off main roads in open desert land, and visitors can only view the facility from public roads at a distance. The best time to pass by is during daytime hours when the mirrors are operating and the reflected light becomes visible at the towers.
Each morning gas burners use natural gas to bring the system up to operating temperature before the sun shines strongly enough. This phase produces a measurable amount of carbon dioxide, which is surprising for a solar facility.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
