California’s Canals Are Now Generating Solar Power — And Saving Water

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BY BEN TRACY, SENIOR CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT ON ASSIGNMENT FOR CLIMATE CENTRAL

When most people picture solar energy, they envision massive solar farms stretching across desert landscapes. But in California’s Central Valley, a groundbreaking new project is flipping that vision on its head—by putting solar panels over water.

Instead of open land, this solar project is being built over irrigation canals, turning the state's historic water delivery system into a dual-purpose powerhouse.

“These canals provide that backbone water supply that allows this community to really thrive,” said Josh Weimer with the Turlock Irrigation District.

These manmade canals are vital to one of the country’s most productive agricultural regions. The system that sustains it all was designed more than 130 years ago—and still plays a central role today.

“That system was designed over 130 years ago. It works great,” Weimer said.

Now, the Turlock Irrigation District is exploring a bold upgrade.

“Can you span canals with solar panels, and what’s the benefit?” Weimer asked. “We have 250 miles of canals—so where does it make the most sense?”

The answer is Project Nexus—a $20 million state-funded pilot designed to transform irrigation canals into clean energy corridors. The cool water beneath the panels actually helps boost their efficiency, while the shade from above helps reduce evaporation.

“It’s almost 100 degrees out here, right? That thing’s making a lot of shade,” said Jordan Harris, co-founder of Solar AquaGrid, the firm managing the project.

The idea gained traction after a study from UC Merced—co-authored by Brandi McKuin—modeled the potential impact of covering canals statewide.

“If we covered all 4,000 miles of California's major canals, we could save up to 63 billion gallons of water annually,” McKuin said.

That’s enough water to irrigate 50,000 acres of farmland—while also generating renewable energy to support the state’s aggressive climate goals.

“The value of water is only going to go up. Our needs for energy are only going up,” Harris said. “We need to look at solutions like this.”

According to Climate Central, solar is now the fastest-growing source of electricity in the U.S., expanding nearly eightfold over the past decade. That growth is essential as states work to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and curb emissions that are warming the planet.

And the innovation doesn’t stop in California. Around the world, water and solar are teaming up on lakes and reservoirs in the form of floating solar—also called “floto-voltaics.” These systems are now operating in places from New Jersey to China, where the world’s largest offshore solar farm spans the equivalent of 2,000 football fields and powers 2.6 million people.

Back in the Central Valley, the next phase of Project Nexus includes testing a retractable solar system.

“This location has two different solar arrays that are covering the canals,” said Weimer. The district wants to determine whether the long-term benefits outweigh the cost—and whether the technology can scale without compromising water access.

“So right now you don’t know if this really makes long-term financial sense?” asked reporter Ben Tracy.

“Not yet,” Weimer replied. “There are potential benefits from this, but we’ve got to make sure that it doesn’t impact the reliability and affordability of the water being delivered.”

If successful, California’s canal-top solar panels could turn miles of water infrastructure into a model for sustainable power and water conservation—one that could ripple far beyond the Golden State.