en.Wedoany.com Reported - A pilot project to build solar canopies over irrigation canals in California has been completed. Project Nexus provides 1.6 MW of renewable electricity across multiple canal sections in the Turlock Irrigation District (TID). The system also includes a 75 kW iron-flow battery energy storage system. In addition to generating electricity, Project Nexus offers the dual benefits of reducing water evaporation and minimizing land use for installation.
The $20 million Project Nexus was developed through a public-private partnership involving the California Department of Water Resources, the Turlock Irrigation District, Solar AquaGrid, and the University of California, Merced. The project aims to expand clean energy production while helping California manage its water resources more efficiently. A 2021 study by the University of California, Merced indicated that covering all 4,000 miles of California's irrigation canals with solar panels could save the state significant water, energy, and costs. This potential is particularly notable in reducing evaporation losses before water reaches end users, as California faces hotter and drier weather conditions.
Construction of Project Nexus began in 2022, was completed in September 2025, and officially launched in April of that year. The ongoing project will measure clean energy generation and water savings achieved through reduced evaporation. It will also assess whether water quality improves and if canal covers lower maintenance costs, including millions of dollars in annual savings from limiting vegetation growth. Although the state provided initial investment, TID will be responsible for ongoing project operations and maintenance.
Regarding comprehensive environmental benefits, the University of California, Merced study also indicated that the project could save 63 billion gallons of water and generate 13 GW of electricity annually. After a full irrigation season, preliminary results appear consistent with the study's findings. Evaporation was reduced by 50-70% over the canal sections covered by photovoltaics, and algae growth decreased by 85%. The reduction in algae is a significant operational benefit, as it lowers canal maintenance requirements and associated costs.
Installing solar arrays over canals rather than on land provides important land-use benefits. By utilizing existing infrastructure corridors, the project avoids using agricultural or undeveloped land for energy production. This approach is particularly valuable in California, where competition for land among agriculture, development, conservation, and renewable energy projects is intensifying.
Project Nexus creates opportunities to test multiple design configurations, including large-span structures over wide canals, smaller systems over narrow canals, and even vertical and retractable prototypes. Evaluating various options helps assess system adaptability under different hydraulic and structural conditions. Scaling the project is crucial for the long-term benefits demonstrated so far and predicted by the University of California, Merced study. TID continues to seek ways to provide sufficient power for its customer base while meeting California's renewable energy goals, which require 60% of the state's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030 and a 100% carbon-free electricity sector by 2045.
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