California’s Solar Canal Project
Sep 20, 2022 7:01 am
California’s Solar Canal Project
1 min read
California is planning on covering its canals with solar panels – an experiment they call ‘Project Nexus’. These ‘solar canals’ have an estimated 13GW of renewable capacity – half of what California needs to run completely on renewable energy by 2030. Project Nexus, in the Turlock Irrigation District, will take place in one canal in Hickman and another one in Ceres.
Brandi McKuin, project scientist at the University of California Merced said about the project: “Firstly, covering canals with solar panels will reduce evaporation so we could save water. Secondly, it would avoid land use. Thirdly…it would reduce aquatic weed growth. And lastly, there’s a cooler microclimate, so water heats up more slowly than land and this could enhance the efficiency of PV electricity production”.
There are 6 437.38 km of canals in California, which means that using the solar canals could translate into a water savings of 238.48 billion litres of water – enough to supply 2 million people and water 20 234.28 hectares of land. It is also believed that the solar canals will save 227 124.71 litres of water.
The $20m project, which is being funded by the state, will commence in mid-October. It is based on a similar project in the West Indian province of Gujarat, where a 10MW plant has been established using the panels atop the Vadodara Branch Canal. The project began in 2012, and in February 2022 it was announced that an additional 100MW was being added.
Do you think California will be able to replicate the success that Gujarat has had? Share your thoughts by replying to this email!
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