After successful trials, an ambitious scheme to generate clean energy and save water in California is set to move to the next level in 2025.
Project Nexus, a $20-million project to examine the viability of placing solar panels over canals, could have huge implications for California's climate goals.
In 2021, researchers from the University of California's Merced and Santa Cruz campuses calculated that covering California's canals with solar panels could generate huge amounts of energy while conserving water.
The latter benefit is particularly exciting for a state that historically struggles with droughts. According to the findings, covering all 4000 miles of canals would generate 13 gigawatts of energy while saving 63 billion gallons of water. That's enough energy for two million homes and water for two million people.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said of the scheme, "This is a no-brainer. This is common sense."
Interestingly, solar panels perform better over water than they do on land. The water's cooling effect lowers the panels' operating temperature, boosting efficiency.
Water-based solar panels also save water by acting as a barrier against evaporation and reducing algae growth, and they avoid one of the major downsides of solar farms on land: the displacement of local wildlife.
As Brandi McKuin, one of the study's authors, pointed out in an explainer video, "If you're going to install solar panels in your home, you wouldn't put them in your backyard."
The project can help California reach its climate and biodiversity goals. Adding to existing infrastructure is an excellent example of win-win innovation.
Another area ripe for further exploration is installing solar panels in car parks. Michigan State University invested $10 million to do just that in 2017, and it's paying off.
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Definitely 👍 As Project Nexus shows, energy innovation can go hand-in-hand with land conservation.
California's Natural Resources Agency director Wade Crowfoot told PV Magazine the state is "leading the way in exploring innovative solutions to tackle climate change and strengthen our water and energy resilience. … Science-driven collaborations like this one are critical to guide our path forward."
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