{"id":470873,"date":"2026-09-21T14:34:20","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T14:34:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/470873\/"},"modified":"2026-09-21T14:34:20","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T14:34:20","slug":"heres-what-california-is-learning-from-solar-panels-built-over-irrigation-canals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/470873\/","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s What California Is Learning From Solar Panels Built Over Irrigation Canals"},"content":{"rendered":"

California is transitioning to clean energy. KQED is reporting on what that means for you. What works? What doesn\u2019t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco<\/a>, Jordan Harris saw the concrete canals that transport water across the state slowly evaporating under the scorching West Coast sun.<\/p>\n

Harris said he spent a lot of his life in France, where he noticed how trees lined the canals and protected their precious water from the wind and sun. \u201cAnd so I started thinking, could we do something similar in California?\u201d<\/p>\n

California\u2019s extensive network of canals and aqueducts is the lifeblood of the state, providing clean water to populous cities and expansive farms that wouldn\u2019t otherwise have it. While the state has long struggled with evaporation, researchers at UC Davis estimate that California\u2019s total water supply could shrink<\/a> by up to 25% by 2050, the equivalent of two Lake Shastas. They attribute the decline, in part, to hotter temperatures caused by climate change.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In an effort to limit warming poised to dry out the state, California pledged to shift to 100% clean electricity by 2045.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Solar panels cover part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal as part of Project Nexus in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026.\u00a0(Beth LaBerge\/KQED)<\/p>\n

The state currently generates 62%<\/a> of its electricity from renewable and zero-carbon sources, with the largest percentage of that coming from solar<\/a>. But meeting California\u2019s energy demand will require an unprecedented expansion of solar and storage capacity<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Thinking back to the baking concrete canals, Harris pitched an \u201cobvious\u201d solution to his friend Robin Raj: Why not build solar panels on top of California\u2019s 4,000 miles of open canals that transport water across the state? The panels would produce clean energy while limiting evaporation by shading the canal \u2014 a win-win.<\/p>\n

The duo went on to start Solar Aquagrid, an advocacy firm dedicated to reimagining aging canals, and partnered with the Turlock Irrigation District, UC Merced and the California Department of Water Resources to cover small sections of Turlock\u2019s canals with solar panels. The new \u201csolar canal\u201d provides shade to limit evaporation and generates power all in one neat package. They call it Project Nexus, and it operates at the intersection of the state\u2019s need for clean water and energy.<\/p>\n

\"\"Solar AquaGrid co-founders Jordan Harris (left) and Robin Raj walk alongside solar panels covering part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. Solar AquaGrid helped develop Project Nexus, a pilot project testing the use of solar panels over working irrigation canals.\u00a0(Beth LaBerge\/KQED)<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are disturbed spaces,\u201d Harris said, pointing to the concrete ditch filled with murky water. \u201cSo why not take advantage of the fact that we\u2019ve already done that and help them work harder, be more efficient, produce more and protect what\u2019s around us?\u201d<\/p>\n

The research team also found numerous \u201cco-benefits,\u201d or silver linings that make the project more valuable than the sum of its water and power.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bales said shading the canals led to less algal growth and less fixed aquatic weed growth \u2014 reducing maintenance and improving water quality.<\/p>\n

Preventing new solar development on natural land benefits both people and planet, Bale added, emphasizing how preserving these lands is essential for maintaining life \u201cas we know it on the Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Acquiring permits to build on undeveloped land can be a major bottleneck for developers, too. Building on open space takes 621 days on average, compared with 110 days for projects on developed land, according to a study<\/a> from The Nature Conservancy.<\/p>\n

\"\"A Turlock Irrigation District canal in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026.\u00a0(Beth LaBerge\/KQED)<\/p>\n

Given the numerous benefits, Bales said the project \u201cjust makes sense.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

But just because something makes sense does not mean it\u2019s easy to implement. \u201cWe often talk about the challenges of getting to the obvious,\u201d Harris said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Projects touching land, water and power often involve coordinating many stakeholders. California\u2019s canals can be managed by state or federal water agencies, as well as municipal governments and local irrigation districts. These operators often do not own the land around the canal, let alone the infrastructure to transmit the power to utilities \u2014 one of the most expensive parts of renewable energy projects, according to Harris.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Harris and Raj found their \u201cideal\u201d partner in Turlock Irrigation District, a 139-year-old irrigation district operating 250 miles of canals that provides both water and power to nearly 5,000 farmers in the Central Valley growing everything from beans to peaches.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Solar panels cover part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal as part of Project Nexus in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026.\u00a0(Beth LaBerge\/KQED)<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t gonna be the only way to do it,\u201d Weimer said \u2014 describing how they drag a massive anchor chain through the water to rip out weeds. Similar panels in India and Arizona sit low over the canals, leaving little room for the kind of cleaning that Turlock needs to do.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Over in Contra Costa County, the urban landscape makes any kind of solar canal project unrealistic, said Jennifer Allen, a spokesperson for the county\u2019s water district.<\/p>\n

The Contra Costa Water District manages 48 miles of canals winding from Knightsen to Martinez. The Bureau of Reclamation built the system back in the 1930s when the region was predominantly farmland \u2014 much like Turlock.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Today, the canal system runs through backyards and public parks.<\/p>\n

Something like Project Nexus wouldn\u2019t work because maintenance workers need to access the canals and have limited space to work alongside them, Allen said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Solar AquaGrid co-founder Robin Raj stands near solar panels covering part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. The company helped develop Project Nexus, a pilot project testing solar panels over working irrigation canals.\u00a0(Beth LaBerge\/KQED)<\/p>\n

Even though the canal is fenced in, \u201cwe have instances where we have cars go into the canal \u2014 we\u2019ll have people go into the canal, and animals go into the canal,\u201d Allen said, describing some of the challenges they faced as an urban water district.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat Turlock is doing with their projects is very impressive, but we have a different-looking canal system going through our service area,\u201d Allen said. They are looking to put their canals into pipes to avoid evaporation, instead.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Andrew Schwarz, a spokesperson for the state\u2019s Department of Water Resources, said that they are waiting to see the final report before deciding to invest in more projects. \u201cThese canals vary widely \u2014 from narrow, unlined dirt channels that deliver irrigation water to individual fields, to concrete-lined channels over a hundred feet wide that transport water across California,\u201d Schwarz said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The state remains focused on \u201cevaluation, continued study, potential scaling and lessons learned.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cCritical infrastructure change is really hard, and if you don\u2019t have science behind it to justify the expense and be able to quantify the benefits, then you\u2019re not gonna scale,\u201d Harris said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are fortunate to live in California where this is a priority and where our state agencies are open to this level of examination and exploration,\u201d Raj said. \u201cThat can\u2019t be taken for granted.\u201d<\/p>\n

The final report comes out later this year.<\/p>\n

\"Your
\nFrom KQED\u2019s Climate desk, \u201cFlipping the Switch\u201d documents California\u2019s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn\u2019t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by\u00a0donating today.
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