𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗽𝗮𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿?☀️ You may have seen headlines or posts claiming that the Ivanpah solar plant's scheduled shutdown is proof that #solarenergy doesn’t work. But here’s what’s actually going on: 🔹Ivanpah is a concentrated solar power plant, or CSP plant, which generates electricity by bringing water to a boil – the steam spins a turbine that turns a generator. This is very different from how the solar panels on rooftops or solar farms work – they aren’t mirrors, and they generate electricity inside themselves. 🔹Why is it shutting down early? Not because solar is failing — but because solar panels (known as photovoltaic or PV panels) have become much cheaper and more efficient since Ivanpah opened in 2014. In short, it's now more cost-effective to use solar panels instead. 🔹 So, what’s the real story? Some online sources are using Ivanpah’s story to cast doubt on all solar energy or government investments in #renewables. But that’s a misrepresentation — Ivanpah isn’t representative of most solar technology in use today. 📌 Solar isn’t static. Like any tech, it changes fast. Ivanpah was one hailed as the future of solar power, but the future can change very quickly. Read more in our latest Insight article: https://science.feedback.org/a-large-solar-plant-in-california-is-closing-what-does-it-mean-for-solar-power/