Everyone's Saying The Same Thing After $2.2 Billion California Desert Solar Farm Is Shut Down For 'Not Serving Its Purpose'

A massive solar energy project that cost billions of dollars is now set to close, with officials admitting it is simply not 'serving its purpose'. The news has triggered strong reactions across the country, with many people pointing out the same thing.

The project in question is the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, located in California’s Mojave Desert. It reportedly cost around $2.2 billion to build and was hailed at the time as a groundbreaking development in renewable energy.

The plant, which began operating in 2014, consists of three enormous towers standing 459 feet high and almost 174,000 mirrors, known as heliostats, that reflect sunlight onto the towers to generate power. Despite being promoted as a step toward making America 'a world leader in solar energy', the facility struggled to meet its energy goals and is now scheduled to be shut down permanently next year.

The closure will happen 13 years earlier than originally planned. Companies such as Pacific Gas & Electric and NRG Energy Inc. had contracts to buy power from the facility until 2039, but Associated Press reported that both agreements were terminated early back in January.

"PG&E determined that ending the agreements at this time will save customers money," the company explained at the time in a public statement.

For its part, NRG described the venture as 'successful' but acknowledged that it simply cannot compete with photovoltaic solar technology, which has become cheaper and more efficient in recent years.

Ivanpah Solar Power Facility will cease all operations next year Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The Ivanpah project was first approved in 2010, and just one year later, the Obama administration’s Department of Energy backed it with $1.6 billion in federal loan guarantees. The support was seen as a bold investment in America’s green future.

Now, with the plant set to shut down far earlier than expected, many Americans are left frustrated, arguing that the entire project ended up being nothing more than a misuse of taxpayer dollars.

"Both a waste of money and an environmental disaster that will take decades to clean up," one person complained on Twitter, while another wrote: "Yet another left-wing taxpayer-funded boondoggle turns out to be a useless waste of money."

Many have branded the plant as a waste of taxpayer money Visions of America/Joe Sohm/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

A third critic chimed in online, saying: "Another total failure and waste of taxpayer dollars by Gavin Newsom. Guy fails at everything he does."

Others echoed the same thought, claiming the solar farm 'was always a boondoggle' and never truly viable. The criticism hasn’t only come from the public, though. Environmental groups have also weighed in with similar views.

Julia Dowell from the Sierra Club reflected on the matter earlier this year, expressing concern about both the financial and environmental consequences of the project.

"The Ivanpah plant was a financial boondoggle and environmental disaster," she told AP. "Along with killing thousands of birds and tortoises, the project's construction destroyed irreplaceable pristine desert habitat along with numerous rare plant species."

Dowell added: "While the Sierra Club strongly supports innovative clean energy solutions and recognizes the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels, Ivanpah demonstrated that not all renewable technologies are created equal."