We knew of the inevitable at end of 2006.  (Same inevitable that occurred in 1991, thereafter SEGS-IX, the last for a decade and half).
Nevada’s solar and that 5MWe could also be the last of the IPPs, construed as the conclusive event of 2008 and the final for this millennium, the FPL’s 2010 event; the end of all.
Indubitably due to:
1.Siting of solar farms, whether on BLM’s administered land, or on a privately owned, that turned-out to be a “Grande Fiasco”.
2.IOUs quest to develop-own-operate, right after the solar boys gets permitting, was already evident by their Renewables RFO’s platform.
3.Unless, the Private Equity Firms demand return of their initial rounds from those several solar boys, having no other alternatives, but to go trough the FSAs, the IOUs have to take over the conclusion of the permitting. (Possible, just about break-even, at best, if the solar boys obtain the permitting and EXIT; for good).
4.Thereafter, most likely by 2010, the RPS may be trashed-out and the IOUs can continue their status quo; business as usual.
5.In lieu thereof funding pilot projects, based upon several viable disruptive technology by the in-the-box out of their garages solar boys, the Rulers of the Status Quo blow it out to the Universities, the Labs, bunch of “Proclaimed Socrates” and not limited to those non-profits 501(c)(3)??? ESQs, being some of the reasons for today’s commenced exiting with irreparable harm. (It is also believed, that Nostradamus may had some scripts about the Environs-for-profit (50…..0000(nothing) and their respective Intervenors ESQs, predicting that they have to look elsewhere for-profits in 2010, the beginning of the “Great California Blackouts”)
6.It is also believed, that there were certain scripts by Nostradamus, mentioning about the “Science Revolution of 2010”, which included today’s RPS and short lived tech’s modeling, which are to be just on paper, like his scripts, not limited to Governmental Agencies consolidation, which can not foster the implementation of the Science Revolution, due to outcome of the predicted then final 2010 financial crash.
7.The Stimulus Plan will not prolong the inevitable exiting of Renewable and Alternative energy’s IPPs; long gone by 2010 (Read the small print, as well as in-between), unless the Obama’s Administration, Legislature, Congress and the House, not limited to the DOE’s Dr. Chu presiding, come-up with a drastic changes in the Bill, fostering comfort zone (Near-zero Risk Factor) to those major Fund of Funds/Hedge Funds and some of the SRI’s bailed-out Wall Streeters, for the real rounds; construction of Renewable/Alternative energy’s electric power generating facilities.
8.The Era of the Hybrids. To alleviate black-outs in California (identical to the 2001, if not more severe, ask CA ISO for 2010 Modeling ) and other Western States, the IOUs will be scrambling for these 50MWe Peakers, particularly if the RPS is to remain, instead of trashed-out, praying for the “150MWe Super Peakers”, consisting of about 20% of total nameplate worth of Renewables, integrated with at least 40% recovered energy, in synergy with the residual 40% by the old mighty natural gas-fired.

Adios Solares Muchachos.
May be, may be not,  we see you in Baja California, Mexico. No solar-thermal there.
No Renewables, nor CSP’s solar-thermal, nor Fresnel,‘s factory, nor Power Towers, nor PV/CPV there either. Just Super Hybrid Complexes (diesel-fired with seawater desals and with plenty of red tomatoes in the Super Greenhouses; you got to eat vegetables, do you?  It is good for your health.

Sad news that a company that wanted to make a big difference has slipped back to making an insignificant one. Especially for Dr Mills.

P.S. Nick Panchev. Your love of TLA’s has rendered your comment difficult (if not impossible) to understand. A shame because it looks like you might have something usefull to say. Can I recommend some of the excellent texts on ‘Plain English’ that you can find in any bookshop.

Many VCs wisely passed on Ausra because it was known in the industry that its low temperature direct steam system wouldn’t cost effectively drive a turbine.  The collapse of the capital markets provides a convenient excuse for what was really a VC’s mistake on the core technology.  Parabolic trough is still the market standard and will be a large part of a renewable electricity supply in the future.  Power Towers still face large hurdles before they are commercially proven. Ausra is a case of Silicon Valley hype blinding people to engineering reality.  At least we don’t have to listen to John O’Donnell spouting on about 5¢ power anymore.

I’m pretty sure you mean coal plant, not coal mine.  Ausra is currently selling steam to a coal fired power plant. Im pretty sure you guys have run stories on it.

Bill, appreciate your comments; very constructive criticism.
I have plenty of useful to say. However, not at this blog. (Intentionally, it was a bad text)

Tom, you are more than correct.
Since Bill mentioned about my bed behavior, which I accept as a constructive criticism, let me add some useful text.
If you ask Steve (no last name-confidential), who is one of the SEGS operator, he will tell you about “water saturated steam biting steam turbine to hell”.
However, it is another CSP version and it is viable.
Suggestion: if some sort of a membrane is at the vessel, it is possible to separate water droplets from pure steam.
Therefore, that problem can be solved, to a certain extent.
As to low temperature, please note that all CSP HTFs are at low temperature, at best up to 400°C.
Without a natural gas-fired vessel - boiler, as a gas-assist, to superheat the steam to over 550°C, the efficiency of the steam turbine is so low, that it is not even worth talking about it.
Forget about Molten Salt as another HTF, regardless that can be heated to over 500°C.
It will freeze not just at the thousand of bolt joint, but at myriad of other exposed locations at the solar field, as well as at any Power Tower loops.

Did I say today the same as Ericksson said in 1887 – CSP parabolic trough solar-thermal is a TOY?

Most VCs did know that SCP solar-thermal is a TOY.
How can you compare it with the lien-burn natural gas or diesel-fired Wartsila reciprocating engines, now at up to 12MW each, with efficiency of 49% and heat rate up to 8,000, compared to CSP solar-thermal, at best of 18%?
However, all CSP solar-thermal can be Peakers at a nominal nameplate of up to 50MWe, to supplement the need for peak load.
To propagate that “scale” (large solar farms) is the solution is incorrect.
Regardless of scale, the efficiency can not be disregarded, neither the capacity factor, nor we can twist the Laws of Physics and Thermodynamics, just to present to VCs another reengineered solution.

To both, Bill and Tom:
I have being tackling with CSP solar-thermal since 1996 and being frequent to Boron, California, more than in the lab. In 2006 I was also tackling with the storage component, which is possible and can bring the capacity factor to 56% and regardless of that, can not get the efficiency to over 29%.
I also have a friend, tackling for a long time with hydrogen, another assist solution, however also not sufficient enough to entice the VCs.

In conclusion, The CSP parabolic trough solar-thermal will remain as the most likely solution for the industry, in regards to all renewable, particularly if coupled with the storage component.
Ours is a Super Peker and is rated not to exceed 49MWe CSP twin parabolic through collectors, coupled with twin parabolic receiver’s solar farm, integrated with 49MWe HTF storage farm.
Ausra is wise to scale down to 50MWe.
Wish a good luck to rest of the 3 solar start-ups.  It is going to be a tough sell, even if Dr. Chu steps in and DOE guarantees up to 80% the credit facility for actual construction.
What we embarked to do in Mexico, is a totally separate and distinct solution and no need to elaborate at this blog, since have nothing to do with renewable energy, but a plenty with recovered (free) energy; another of our technology, but not for sale.

Our breakthrough collectors will be able to generate electricity with 50% efficiency or greater.
The dual solar thermal-photovoltaic system will wrest approximately twice as much power from an area as regular solar thermal or photovoltaic energy systems. Our technology can be used to retrofit existing parabolic troughs and solar power towers to increase their efficiency. Besides applications at utility scale solar power plants that are contributing electricity to the California power grid, they will also have an important advantage in the upcoming industry of rooftop solar power.  Apartment buildings, skyscrapers and industrial buildings all have flat roofs that can accommodate our solar power systems and the greater efficiency of dual thermal-photovoltaic energy generation systems will make it cost competitive with other generation systems.
The Vulvox collectors will not depend upon complicated advances in quantum or solid state physics. Our novel combination photovoltaic-solar thermal collectors will achieve the unprecedented efficiencies predicted here by means of relatively simple modifications to solar energy equipment; modifications that can be developed at a moderate cost.
The Vulvox solar system will generate higher power levels than competing parabolic troughs and solar power towers, while retaining all of the storage capabilities of solar thermal power.
Besides the inherent efficiency advantages of this collection system, we are sure we can add other modifications that will increase energy collection and electricity generation beyond those efficiencies. Modifications to increase the heat flow rate of the thermal collectors are an example.
Every time a photovoltaic panel system is upgraded and increases in power we can substitute it for a lower power panels used in previous “builds.” and the higher power panels can be used in upgraded combination PV-solar thermal collectors with higher efficiency. Also, every time solar thermal systems are upgraded they can be combined with the latest practical photovoltaic collectors to keep the next generation combination systems cost competitive and to keep their efficiency higher than all other collection systems. Contact us for more information.

Nope. Coal mine. They used steam in those.