Regional

Details

Written by: Lake County News Reports

Published: 30 April 2026

Pilot project will explore a new approach to water conservation and renewable energy in the Central Valley

On Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the launch of California's first-of-its-kind solar-covered canal, a project that will explore how this approach generates clean electricity, keeps water from evaporating before it ever reaches a farm or a faucet, and, if scaled further, help strengthen the state's water infrastructure to withstand a hotter, drier future.

Thanks to a $20 million investment from Gov. Newsom and the Legislature, the completion of this innovative solar infrastructure, Project Nexus, will test how solar panels installed over irrigation canals may contribute to clean energy generation, evaporation reduction, and water conservation in the Central Valley.

“I’m proud of California for continuing to lead with innovative, outside-the-box solutions to our climate crisis — including this first-of-its-kind solar-covered canal in the Central Valley.  We remain committed to investing in clean energy and developing cutting-edge technologies to address climate and water challenges. California is showing the world what’s possible when innovation meets action,” said Newsom.

The pilot project represents a unique public-private and academic partnership between the California Department of Water Resources, Turlock Irrigation District, or TID, solar development firm SolarAquaGrid LLC and the University of California, Merced — all working together to pioneer innovation in Turlock.

Project Nexus will measure how much clean energy the solar panels generate, how much water is saved by reducing evaporation, whether water quality improves, and whether covering canals reduces the cost of maintaining them, including by limiting the vegetation growth, and potentially cutting down millions of dollars TID spends annually on maintenance.

"DWR appreciates the opportunity to test an exciting idea in real-world conditions and learn more about how we might combine energy generation and reliable water deliveries without expanding our development footprint,” said John Yarbrough, DWR Deputy Director for the State Water Project. “We look forward to learning even more about how the solar-over-canals concept may support California’s clean energy goals and long-term drought resilience.”
 
The California way

Climate change is pushing California to reimagine our infrastructure for a hotter, drier future. By integrating solar generation into existing water delivery systems, Project Nexus demonstrates how, through innovative research and application, California can:

• Potentially reduce water loss from evaporation.
• Generate clean, renewable energy.
• Explore opportunities to improve system efficiency and reduce maintenance costs.  
• Put existing canal surface area to work generating clean energy.

The science behind the project is compelling: a UC Merced analysis estimated that putting solar panels over California’s open canals could save billions of gallons of water annually.

Project Nexus reflects California’s continued leadership in developing practical, innovative solutions that support clean energy and water resilience — and help advance the state’s long-term water planning goals, including the 2028 Water Plan.