UC Merced's first solar-over-canal project is producing electricity

MERCED, Calif. (FOX26) — The first-ever solar-over-canal project in UC Merced has started producing electricity.

The initiative was led by faculty from the top 7 research universities in the state.

Plans are being made to expand the technology over California’s extensive canal network.

According to a 2021 UC Merced study, the state’s 4,000 miles of solar panel arrays could help conserve water, reduce air pollution, and generate clean energy using the existing land and infrastructure.

The pilot effort, Project Nexus, is being built over the Turlock Irrigation District canals to test the theory.

So far, the panels have started to generate electricity according to TID General Manager Brad Koehn.

The California Solar Canal Initiative (CSCI) research project aims to accelerate the use of solar power across the state by equipping government agencies, utilities, community members, and other interested parties with data on optimal locations and identifying willing host communities.

The pilot is funded by the state of California and is a public-private-academic partnership between Turlock Irrigation District, Solar AquaGrid, UC Merced and the California Department of Water Resources.