California just launched a clever solar project that could innovate the way solar energy is harnessed — with other great benefits built in. Known as Project Nexus, as reported by Canary Media, the $20 million pilot turned stretches of canals in the Turlock Irrigation District into solar energy hubs without disturbing farmland or natural landscapes by placing them over existing canals.
The 1.6-megawatt system, completed in late August, is only the second of its kind in the U.S. and one of just a handful worldwide.
Researchers believe the overlapping benefits are game-changing. Not only do the panels produce clean energy, but they shade the canal, helping to reduce water evaporation. In turn, the water below cools the panels, boosting their efficiency. And although the upfront costs are somewhat steep, the project can be done relatively quickly.
"By the next year, you can have really cheap electricity," explained Ben Lepley, founder of Tectonicus, the engineering firm behind similar systems in Arizona.
California's Central Valley is a powerhouse of food production, but it's also ground zero for water scarcity and high energy costs. These solar canals help tackle both problems at once. They lower energy costs by supplying power where it's most needed, protect water supplies by cutting evaporation, and reduce reliance on dirty energy sources that harm air quality and contribute to rising temperatures, which harm human health.
For now, the panels are focused on providing power to the canal operations. But the project also shows potential for generating clean energy for the public power grid. A coalition of environmental groups has estimated that covering 8,000 miles of U.S. canals with panels could generate enough renewable energy to power 20 million homes.
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For farmers and communities, that means more affordable and stable energy to run pumps, gates, and irrigation equipment — critical infrastructure that supports one of the country's most productive agricultural regions. If scaled in other areas, it could provide more reliable and affordable energy for homes and businesses alike.
Installing solar panels can save homeowners even more money, bringing energy bills down to nearly $0. EnergySage offers a free service to compare quotes from vetted local installers.
This project joins other solar efforts, from solar farms in Jersey shading grazing sheep to companies like Walmart launching community solar projects. And some of these projects are moving forward without government help, meaning changes in federal support won't stand in the way.
"We have become really familiar with the economics of building these [canal] projects," said Lepley. "We have a pretty good playbook of how to continue these projects going forward, even without any grant funding from the federal government."
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"Why disturb land that has sacred value when we could just put the solar panels over a canal and generate more efficient power?" said David DeJong, director of the Pima-Maricopa Irrigation Project, which is developing a water-delivery system for the Gila River Indian Community.
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