In 2015, California was facing its fourth year of drought, with Governor Jerry Brown ordering a 25% reduction in home water use.
Even farmers, who use the most water, volunteered to help avoid mandatory cuts. Brown also set a goal for the state to get half its energy from renewable sources, with the looming threat of climate change.
However, when Jordan Harris and Robin Raj proposed a solution that could simultaneously address water loss and climate pollution by installing solar panels over irrigation canals, they were met with reluctance. It seems that even in the face of a crisis, change can be slow to come.
In the past eight years, the world has seen devastating heat waves and record-breaking wildfires. The looming crisis on the Colorado River has also become more apparent, and there is a growing commitment to fighting climate change.
Against this backdrop, Solar AquaGrid, a company founded by two engineers, is preparing to break ground on the first solar-covered canal project in the United States.
The concept is simple yet innovative: install solar panels over canals in sunny, water-scarce regions where they can reduce evaporation and generate electricity.
The idea has been in development for years, but it’s only now that the conditions are right for it to take off.
As climate change continues to threaten our planet, finding sustainable solutions is becoming increasingly urgent.
The Solar AquaGrid project is a step in the right direction, offering a way to reduce water loss and generate clean energy at the same time.
The project has been met with excitement and support from both the public and private sectors. It’s a testament to the power of movement-building and the growing awareness of the need for sustainable solutions.
As Solar AquaGrid prepares to break ground on this groundbreaking project, we can only hope that it will inspire others to take action and work towards a more sustainable future.
A recent study conducted by the University of California, Merced, has shown that California’s 4,000 miles of canals could be covered with solar panels, saving a whopping 63 billion gallons of water.
Additionally, these solar panels could generate up to 13 gigawatts of power, enough to power the entire city of Los Angeles from January through early October.
While this is just an estimate, it has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about energy and water usage in California.
Luckily, a project called Project Nexus is set to test these potential benefits in California’s Central Valley. With this project, we may finally be able to scientifically prove the benefits of covering canals with solar panels and the positive impact it could have on the state’s energy and water resources.
BUILDING MOMENTUM
The concept of solar power on canals has been a topic of discussion for quite some time in California. With the scarcity of affordable land for energy development and water, this idea could be a two-for-one solution. However, until recently, it was just a hypothetical idea.
Two individuals, Harris and Raj, decided to take action and give people the nudge they needed. Harris, a former record label executive, co-founded “Rock the Vote” in the early 1990s, which was a voter registration push. Raj, on the other hand, organized socially responsible and sustainability campaigns for businesses.
Together, they knew that people needed a trusted source to encourage them to embrace this innovative solution.
With their combined expertise, Harris and Raj are paving the way for a new era of sustainable energy in California.
By utilizing the state’s canal system to harness solar power, they are not only creating a renewable energy source but also conserving water and preserving precious land for other purposes.
Their efforts serve as an inspiration for others to follow suit and contribute to a cleaner, greener future for all.
Solar power on canals has been a hot topic in California for quite some time now. With limited affordable land for energy development and water, this idea could provide a two-for-one solution. However, until recently, it was just a hypothetical idea.
Thankfully, two individuals, Harris and Raj, decided to take action and give people the push they needed. Harris, a former record label executive, co-founded “Rock the Vote” in the early 1990s, a voter registration push.
Raj, on the other hand, organized socially responsible and sustainability campaigns for businesses. Together, they knew that people needed a trusted source to encourage them to embrace this innovative solution.
With their combined expertise, Harris and Raj are paving the way for a new era of sustainable energy in California.
By utilizing the state’s canal system to harness solar power, they are not only creating a renewable energy source but also conserving water and preserving precious land for other purposes.
Their efforts serve as an inspiration for others to follow suit and contribute to a cleaner, greener future for all.
In conclusion, solar power on canals is an innovative solution that could provide a two-for-one benefit for California.
Thanks to Harris and Raj’s efforts, this idea is no longer just hypothetical but is becoming a reality. We hope that more people will follow their lead and contribute to a cleaner, greener future for all.
Crowfoot remembered the governor’s words vividly. “Let’s get this in the ground and see what’s possible,” he had said.
The statement had been a call to action, a challenge to explore the potential of their project. Crowfoot and his team had been working on a new agricultural technique, one that promised to revolutionize the way crops were grown.
They had spent months researching and testing their method, and now it was time to put it to the ultimate test.
The team worked tirelessly, preparing the soil and planting the seeds. They monitored the growth of the plants closely, making adjustments and tweaks along the way.
As the weeks passed, it became clear that their technique was working. The plants were thriving, growing taller and stronger than anyone had ever seen before.
Word of their success spread quickly, and soon other farmers were eager to try the new method for themselves. Crowfoot and his team shared their knowledge freely, helping others to implement the technique and achieve similar results. It was a moment of triumph, a realization of the governor’s vision.
Looking back on that day, Crowfoot felt a sense of pride and accomplishment. The governor’s words had been a catalyst for change, inspiring them to push beyond what they thought was possible.
It was a reminder that sometimes all it takes is a simple phrase to ignite a spark of innovation and creativity.
In a bid to comply with California’s ambitious goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045, the Turlock Irrigation District reached out to UC Merced for help. The District was looking to build a solar project, but the cost of land was prohibitive.
The university’s researchers suggested building atop existing infrastructure, such as canals. This would not only save costs but also provide shade for the waterways, reducing weed growth and saving the District $1 million annually.
The idea was so promising that the state committed $20 million in public funds, and the pilot project became a three-party collaboration between the private, public, and academic sectors. The project will see 1.6 miles of canals covered with solar panels between five and 15 feet off the ground. The UC Merced team will study the impacts of the solar panels on evaporation and water quality, among other factors.
The project is an example of how innovation and collaboration can help achieve ambitious renewable energy goals while also providing co-benefits for communities.
The speaker emphasized the importance of understanding the core issues before proposing any solutions.
She stated that it is essential to delve deeper into the questions at hand in order to make informed recommendations on how to proceed.
Without a thorough understanding of the underlying problems, any attempts to address them may be misguided and ultimately ineffective.
Therefore, she stressed the need to take a step back and carefully examine the root causes before moving forward with any action plans. By doing so, she believes that we can develop more targeted and impactful strategies that will lead to lasting change.
LESSONS LEARNED ABROAD
The technology of solar canals, which involves installing solar panels over canals to generate electricity, has been pioneered in India on one of the largest irrigation projects in the world.
The Sardar Sarovar dam and canal project was inaugurated in 2012 by the then-chief minister of Gujarat state, Narendra Modi, who is now the country’s prime minister. The project brings water to hundreds of thousands of villages in the dry, arid regions of western India’s Gujarat state.
The engineering firm Sun Edison had promised to install 19,000 km (11,800 miles) of solar canals, but only a handful of smaller projects have been completed since then. This is due to the high capital costs and maintenance issues associated with such projects.
Despite these challenges, there is still great potential for solar canals to provide clean energy and water to communities around the world.
The use of ground-based solar in arid regions is a more economically viable option, according to experts. However, the adoption of this technology in India has been limited due to clunky design. The panels in Gujarat’s pilot project are placed directly over the canal, which makes it difficult for maintenance and emergency crews to access them.
Taking note of India’s experience, a project in California is being developed with better materials and a higher placement of panels to address these issues. With these improvements, ground-based solar can become a more feasible option for renewable energy in arid regions.
NEXT STEPS
The world of water infrastructure is not known for embracing rapid change, according to Representative Jared Huffman, D-Calif.
He describes it as an “ossified bastion of stodgy old engineers.” However, there are signs that change may be on the horizon. The Gila River Indian Tribe recently received funding to install solar panels on their canals to save water and ease stress on the Colorado River.
Additionally, the Salt River Project, one of Arizona’s largest water and power utilities, is studying the technology alongside Arizona State University.
Huffman has been advocating for this technology for almost a decade, but he finds that people are still more interested in building taller dams.
He believes that installing solar panels on canals is a much more sensible idea. To that end, he pushed a $25 million provision through last year’s Inflation Reduction Act to fund a pilot project for the Bureau of Reclamation. The project sites for that initiative are currently being evaluated.
The use of solar panels on canals could have a significant impact on water conservation efforts in the United States. The technology has the potential to reduce evaporation and conserve water, which is especially important in areas where water is scarce.
As more communities and organizations embrace this technology, it could pave the way for a more sustainable future for water infrastructure in the United States.
While change may be slow to come in the world of water infrastructure, there are signs that progress is being made. The use of solar panels on canals represents a promising step forward in water conservation efforts.
As more individuals and organizations recognize the potential benefits of this technology, it could become a more widely adopted solution for addressing water scarcity and stress on vital waterways like the Colorado River.
A coalition of over 100 climate advocacy groups have called on Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Bureau Commissioner Camille Touton to speed up the implementation of solar photovoltaic energy systems on the Bureau’s canals and aqueducts.
The group, which includes the Center for Biological Diversity and Greenpeace, believes that covering all 8,000 miles of Bureau-owned canals and aqueducts with solar panels could generate over 25 gigawatts of renewable energy, enough to power almost 20 million homes and reduce water evaporation by tens of billions of gallons.
While covering every canal would be ideal, starting with the California Aqueduct and the Delta Mendota canal is a compelling case. It’s about time we made progress towards a more sustainable future.