Solar Panels Over California's Canals Could Save Water While Making Clean Energy
Yes, covering California's 4,000 miles of irrigation canals with solar panels could potentially save up to 63 billion gallons of water annually from evaporation, enough for the needs of 2 million people, while also generating renewable energy. This was found in a study conducted by the University of California Merced in partnership with Solar AquaGrid, a development firm based out of the Bay area. The feasibility of the idea is being tested with two pilot sites that will go into operation next year.
Photo Credit: Silas Baisch