America is about to get its very first solar-covered canal — a huge win for clean energy innovation.
This groundbreaking project, nearing completion on tribal lands in Arizona, will generate solar power while also helping preserve precious water resources, according to Canary Media.
The Casa Blanca Canal project aims to tackle two urgent issues at once: the need for more renewable energy and the importance of water conservation, especially in hot, arid regions. By covering a portion of the extensive canal network with solar panels, the installation will produce clean electricity for local communities while reducing water evaporation.
This concept has been deployed successfully in India, inspiring U.S. engineers to design a solution tailored for American infrastructure. As the project's engineer explained, per Canary Media: "Canal solar allows for greater power production per land size, cleaner water, less power transmission losses, and significant reduction in evaporation."
The 1.3-megawatt pilot project was funded by the Inflation Reduction Act and has also received support from the Department of Energy and California Energy Commission.
While canal-based solar installations cost more up-front than land-based arrays, the benefits are huge. The Casa Blanca is expected to boost solar power generation by nearly 2% — equivalent to 21 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually.
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This means big savings that can be passed on to ratepayers.
But it's not just about money. Covering the 8,000 miles of U.S. canals with solar panels could generate a whopping 25 gigawatts of renewable energy, according to Canary Media. That's a significant step toward reducing the dirty gas pollution that's overheating our planet and threatening our health.
With the Casa Blanca Canal set to connect to the grid by the end of this summer, Americans will soon see the exciting potential of this innovative clean energy solution. As more projects like this come online, we can all breathe a little easier knowing we're making progress toward a healthier, more sustainable future.
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