Ivanpah solar plant faces scrutiny over bird deaths and gas use

The Ivanpah Solar Power Plant in California’s Mojave Desert is under renewed scrutiny more than a decade after opening. The facility, which was heavily backed by federal loans and incentives, was promoted as a major clean energy project but continues to rely on natural gas for daily startup. According to federal wildlife studies and monitoring reports, the plant’s concentrated solar beams have killed or injured thousands of birds over time. Researchers say birds are attracted to the site and can be harmed when they fly through the intense heat near the towers. The article also says the plant has raised broader concerns about its environmental tradeoffs, including land impacts on desert habitat and emissions from gas use. California regulators have kept the plant operating, saying its power is still needed for the grid, while critics argue newer solar technologies are more efficient and less harmful.