As part of a broader research effort to conserve California’s scarce water resources, a $20-million pilot project in the state will investigate the use of solar canals as a major source of renewable energy. Known as Project Nexus, the state-funded venture is expected to demonstrate how covering canals with solar panels can reduce water delivery system costs and generate enough electricity to meet ambitious clean power goals.
Public water and electric utility Turlock Irrigation District in central California announced Feb. 8 that it has accepted state funds to provide proof of concept for the project using its utility infrastructure and will install and test the performance of solar canopies over less than 2 miles of its 250-mile canal system, using its existing electrical grid to capture energy storage from the panels.