{"id":417112,"date":"2022-03-16T19:47:50","date_gmt":"2022-03-16T16:47:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/california-launched-the-first-solar-canal-panel-heres-why-thats-a-big-win\/"},"modified":"2022-03-16T19:47:50","modified_gmt":"2022-03-16T16:47:50","slug":"california-launched-the-first-solar-canal-panel-heres-why-thats-a-big-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/california-launched-the-first-solar-canal-panel-heres-why-thats-a-big-win\/","title":{"rendered":"#California launched the first solar canal panel \u2014 here\u2019s why that\u2019s a big win"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3b9ac5c0adc\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3b9ac5c0adc\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/california-launched-the-first-solar-canal-panel-heres-why-thats-a-big-win\/#%E2%80%9CCalifornia_launched_the_first_solar_canal_panel_%E2%80%94_heres_why_thats_a_big_win%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;California launched the first solar canal panel \u2014 here\u2019s why that\u2019s a big win&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/california-launched-the-first-solar-canal-panel-heres-why-thats-a-big-win\/#Conserving_water_and_land\" >Conserving water and land<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/california-launched-the-first-solar-canal-panel-heres-why-thats-a-big-win\/#Climate-friendly_power\" >Climate-friendly power<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/california-launched-the-first-solar-canal-panel-heres-why-thats-a-big-win\/#Benefits_to_the_land\" >Benefits to the land<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/california-launched-the-first-solar-canal-panel-heres-why-thats-a-big-win\/#Clearing_the_air_%E2%80%93_and_the_weeds\" >Clearing the air \u2013 and the weeds<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/california-launched-the-first-solar-canal-panel-heres-why-thats-a-big-win\/#Bringing_solar_canals_to_California\" >Bringing solar canals to California<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CCalifornia_launched_the_first_solar_canal_panel_%E2%80%94_heres_why_thats_a_big_win%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;California launched the first solar canal panel \u2014 here\u2019s why that\u2019s a big win&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n                            Mounting evidence suggests <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41558-022-01290-z\">the western United States is now in its worst megadrought<\/a> in at least 1,200 years. Groundwater supplies are <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1088\/1748-9326\/aa8ac0\">being overpumped<\/a> in many places, and the dryness, wildfires and shrinking water supplies are making <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2006323117\">climate change<\/a> personal for millions of people.<\/p>\n<p>As <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=S2cxf2IAAAAJ&amp;hl=en\">an engineer<\/a>, I have been working with colleagues on a way to both protect water supplies and boost renewable energy to protect the climate.<\/p>\n<p>We call it the solar-canal solution, and it\u2019s about to be tested in California.<\/p>\n<p>About <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/gis.data.ca.gov\/datasets\/b788fb2628844f54b92e46dac5bb7229_0?geometry=-131.081%2C33.559%2C-105.548%2C39.723\">4,000 miles of canals<\/a> transport water to some 35 million Californians and 5.7 million acres of farmland across the state. As we <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41893-021-00693-8\">explained in a 2021 study<\/a>, covering these canals with solar panels would reduce evaporation of precious water \u2013 one of California\u2019s most critical resources \u2013 and help meet the state\u2019s renewable energy goals, while also saving money.<\/p>\n<p>The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tid.org\/about-tid\/current-projects\/project-nexus\/\">first prototypes in the U.S.<\/a> for both wide-span and narrow-span canals are now in development in California\u2019s Central Valley. Researchers at the University of California, Merced, are involved in the project, and we will be trying to determine how this can become a large-scale solution.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Great to see this <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CA_DWR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@CA_DWR<\/a> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SolarAquaGrid?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@SolarAquaGrid<\/a> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TurlockID?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TurlockID<\/a> solar-over-canal project moving from idea to proof-of-concept construction \u2013 a baby step potentially helping CA and the planet with both water and clean-power gains. More shortly at <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/wXbES8PH96\">https:\/\/t.co\/wXbES8PH96<\/a> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/48a8hZT41a\">https:\/\/t.co\/48a8hZT41a<\/a> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/fYdlfxtxJ5\">pic.twitter.com\/fYdlfxtxJ5<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Andrew Revkin \ud83c\udf0e \u270d\ud83c\udffc \ud83e\ude95 \u262e\ufe0f (@Revkin) <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Revkin\/status\/1491197055200800768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 8, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conserving_water_and_land\"><\/span>Conserving water and land<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>California is <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ppic.org\/publication\/droughts-in-california\/\">prone to drought<\/a>, and water is a constant concern. Now, the changing climate is bringing hotter, drier weather.<\/p>\n<p>Severe droughts over the past 10 to 30 years <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1029\/2019EF001339\">dried up wells<\/a>, caused officials to implement <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.capradio.org\/articles\/2022\/02\/16\/no-end-in-sight-california-drought-on-course-to-break-another-record\/\">water restrictions<\/a> and fueled <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/weather\/2021\/04\/10\/drought-wildfires-california-west\/\">massive wildfires<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, California has ambitious conservation goals. The state has a mandate to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/water.ca.gov\/Programs\/Groundwater-Management\/SGMA-Groundwater-Management\">reduce groundwater pumping<\/a> while maintaining reliable supplies to farms, cities, wildlife and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/can-we-expand-solar-power-dramatically-without-damaging-protected-lands-49429\">ecosystems<\/a>. As part of a broad climate change initiative, in October 2020 Gov. Gavin <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a>om directed the California Natural Resources Agency to spearhead efforts <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/resources.ca.gov\/Initiatives\/Expanding-Nature-Based-Solutions\">to conserve 30% of land and coastal waters by 2030<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Most of California\u2019s rain and snow falls north of Sacramento during the winter, while 80% of its water use <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/water.ca.gov\/Water-Basics\/The-California-Water-System\">occurs in Southern California<\/a>, mostly in summer. That\u2019s why canals snake across the state \u2013 it\u2019s the largest such system in the world. We estimate that about 1%-2% of the water they carry is lost to evaporation under the hot California sun.<\/p>\n<p>In a 2021 study, we showed that covering all 4,000 miles of California\u2019s canals with solar panels would <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41893-021-00693-8\">save more than 65 billion gallons of water annually<\/a> by reducing evaporation. That\u2019s enough to irrigate 50,000 acres of farmland or meet the residential water needs of more than 2 million people. By concentrating solar installations on land that is already being used, instead of building them on undeveloped land, this <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>roach would help California meet its sustainable management goals for both <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/water.ca.gov\/Programs\/California-Water-Plan\">water<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/calepa.ca.gov\/2021\/01\/08\/press-release-governors-task-force-outlines-actions-to-reduce-wildfire-risk-improve-health-of-forests-and-wildlands-1-8-21\/\">land<\/a> resources.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u201cWe are definitely still in a drought. A completely dry January shows how quickly surpluses can disappear.&#8221; \u2013 Karla Nemeth, DWR Director. Learn how dry January conditions returned snowpack to near average levels\u27a1\ufe0f <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/deihwIuqpE\">https:\/\/t.co\/deihwIuqpE<\/a><br \/><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/california?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#california<\/a> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cawater?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cawater<\/a> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/SnowSurvey2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#SnowSurvey2022<\/a> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QYrWLSaBJq\">pic.twitter.com\/QYrWLSaBJq<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 CA \u2013 DWR (@CA_DWR) <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CA_DWR\/status\/1488610869940416512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 1, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Climate-friendly_power\"><\/span>Climate-friendly power<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Shading California\u2019s canals with solar panels would generate substantial amounts of electricity. Our estimates show that it could provide some 13 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, which is about half of the new sources the state needs to add to meet its <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.ca.gov\/news\/2021-03\/california-releases-report-charting-path-100-percent-clean-electricity\">clean electricity goals<\/a>: 60% from carbon-free sources by 2030 and 100% renewable by 2045.<\/p>\n<p>Installing solar panels over the canals makes both systems more efficient. The solar panels would reduce evaporation from the canals, especially during hot California summers. And because water heats up more slowly than land, the canal water flowing beneath the panels could cool them by 10 F, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ieeexplore.ieee.org\/document\/8634893\">boosting production of electricity by up to 3%<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>These canopies could also <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.enpol.2003.10.004\">generate electricity locally<\/a> in many parts of California, lowering both <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/insideenergy.org\/2015\/11\/06\/lost-in-transmission-how-much-electricity-disappears-between-a-power-plant-and-your-plug\/\">transmission losses<\/a> and costs for consumers. Combining solar power with battery storage can help build microgrids in rural areas and underserved communities, making the power system more efficient and resilient. This would mitigate the risk of power losses due to extreme weather, human error and wildfires.<\/p>\n<p>We estimate that the cost to span canals with solar panels will be higher than building ground-mounted systems. But when we added in some of the co-benefits, such as avoided land costs, water savings, aquatic weed mitigation and enhanced PV efficiency, we found that solar canals were a better investment and provided electricity that cost less over the life of the solar installations. And this is before factoring in the human health benefits of improved air quality and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"align-center zoomable\">\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\" alt=\"Solar panels shade canals and canals cool the panels.\" width=\"600\" height=\"222\" class=\"js-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=222&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=222&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=222&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=279&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=279&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=279&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" alt=\"Solar panels shade canals and canals cool the panels.\" width=\"600\" height=\"222\" class=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=222&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=222&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=222&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=279&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=279&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397187\/original\/file-20210426-23-1xorm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=279&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fshift%2F2022%2F03%2F16%2Fsolar-canal-project-win-california%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Solar panels installed over canals increase the efficiency of both systems. Brandi McKuin\" data-title=\"Share Solar panels installed over canals increase the efficiency of both systems. Brandi McKuin on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Solar panels installed over canals increase the efficiency of both systems. Brandi McKuin on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>Solar panels installed over canals increase the efficiency of both systems. Brandi McKuin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Benefits_to_the_land\"><\/span>Benefits to the land<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To be clear, solar canals are about much more than just generating renewable energy and saving water. Building these long, thin solar arrays could prevent more than 80,000 acres of farmland or natural habitat from being converted for solar farms.<\/p>\n<p>California grows food for an ever-increasing global population and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cdfa.ca.gov\/statistics\/\">produces more than 50% of the fruits, nuts and vegetables<\/a> that U.S. consumers eat. However, up to 50% of new renewable energy capacity to meet decarbonization goals could be <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scienceforconservation.org\/products\/power-of-place\">sited in agricultural areas<\/a>, including large swaths of prime farmland.<\/p>\n<p>Solar canal installations will also protect wildlife, ecosystems and culturally important land. Large-scale solar developments can result in <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2019.134602\">habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation<\/a>, which can harm threatened species such as the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/news.bloomberglaw.com\/environment-and-energy\/massive-desert-solar-project-experiment-in-tortoise-survival\">Mojave Desert tortoise<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>They also can <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41893-020-0574-x\">harm desert-scrub plant communities<\/a>, including plants that are culturally important to Indigenous tribes. As an example, construction of the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.power-technology.com\/projects\/genesis-solar-energy-center-riverside-county-california\/\">Genesis Solar Energy Center<\/a> in the Sonoran and Mojave deserts in 2012-2014 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.azcentral.com\/in-depth\/news\/local\/arizona-environment\/2021\/01\/18\/tribes-want-biden-balance-renewable-energy-and-cultural-issues\/4102836001\/\">destroyed trails and burial sites and damaged important cultural artifacts<\/a>, spurring protracted legal conflict.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Clearing_the_air_%E2%80%93_and_the_weeds\"><\/span>Clearing the air \u2013 and the weeds<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>By generating clean electricity, solar canals can improve air quality.<\/p>\n<p>Another benefit is curbing aquatic weeds that choke canals. In <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/future\/article\/20200803-the-solar-canals-revolutionising-indias-renewable-energy\">India<\/a>, where developers have been building solar canals since 2014, shade from the panels limits growth of weeds that block drains and restrict water flow.<\/p>\n<p>Fighting these weeds is expensive, and herbicides threaten human health and the environment. For large, 100-foot-wide canals in California, we estimate that shading canals would save about US$40,000 per mile. Statewide, savings could reach $69 million per year.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"align-center zoomable\">\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\" alt=\"Solar panels would form a glass roof over canals.\" width=\"600\" height=\"367\" class=\"js-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=367&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=367&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=367&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=461&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=461&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=461&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" alt=\"Solar panels would form a glass roof over canals.\" width=\"600\" height=\"367\" class=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=367&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=367&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=367&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=461&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=461&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/397902\/original\/file-20210429-23-1q3uacf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=461&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fshift%2F2022%2F03%2F16%2Fsolar-canal-project-win-california%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Artist rendering of a solar canal system for California. Solar Aquagrid LLC\" data-title=\"Share Artist rendering of a solar canal system for California. Solar Aquagrid LLC on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Artist rendering of a solar canal system for California. Solar Aquagrid LLC on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>Artist rendering of a solar canal system for California. Solar Aquagrid LLC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bringing_solar_canals_to_California\"><\/span>Bringing solar canals to California<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>California\u2019s aging power infrastructure has contributed to catastrophic wildfires and multiday outages. Building smart solar developments on canals and other disturbed land can make power and water infrastructure more resilient while saving water, reducing costs and helping to fight climate change.<\/p>\n<p>[<em>Over 150,000 readers rely on The Conversation\u2019s newsletters to understand the world.<\/em> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/memberservices.theconversation.com\/newsletters\/?source=inline-150ksignup\">Sign up today<\/a>.]<\/p>\n<p>Turlock Irrigation District, in California\u2019s San Joaquin Valley, will build the first solar canal prototype in partnership with project developer Solar Aquagrid, researchers and others and supported by the state Department of Water Resources.<\/p>\n<p>The prototypes in this mile-long demonstration project, along with future pilots, will help operators, developers and regulators refine designs, assess co-benefits and evaluate how these systems perform. With more data, we can map out strategies for extending solar canals statewide, and potentially across the West.<\/p>\n<p><em>This is an update of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/installing-solar-panels-over-californias-canals-could-yield-water-land-air-and-climate-payoffs-158754\">an article<\/a> originally published on May 3, 2021.<\/em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" class=\"js-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/177433\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\"\/><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/177433\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" class=\"\" srcset=\"\"\/><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p><em>Article by <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/roger-bales-294072\">Roger Bales<\/a>, Distinguished Professor of Engineering, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/university-of-california-merced-2056\">University of California, Merced<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>This article is republished from <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/first-solar-canal-project-is-a-win-for-water-energy-air-and-climate-in-california-177433\">original article<\/a><\/em>.\n                        <\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/solar-canal-project-win-california\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;California launched the first solar canal panel \u2014 here\u2019s why that\u2019s a big win&#8221; Mounting evidence suggests the western United States is now in its worst megadrought in at least 1,200 years. Groundwater supplies are being overpumped in many places, and the dryness, wildfires and shrinking water supplies are making climate change personal for millions&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":417113,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image\/shift?filter_last=1&fit=1280,640&url=https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/03\/Untitled-2.jpg&signature=0d04e3ecfd8f8f89c029e00bbffc931e","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-417112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=417112"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417112\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/417113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=417112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=417112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=417112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}