In California (United States) a pilot project has been launched that aims to demonstrate the benefits of covering irrigation canals with solar panels. Some benefits that go far beyond the simple generation of clean energy.
In recent times, new and very interesting projects are emerging that highlight the process of revolution that the solar panel market is experiencing. The possibility of integrating this technology more efficiently into existing infrastructures will make it possible to give a strong boost to the production of clean energy. In California, the United States, a pilot project has emerged that we must pay close attention to.
California has nearly 6,500 kilometers of irrigation canals that allow to distribute the water to the cultivated areas. Of covering the entire network of irrigation canals with solar panels could produce up to 13 gigawatts of renewable energy. To put that in context, that’s half of what all of California needs to meet its clean energy goals. In the short term this is not expected to happen. However, the announcement of a pilot project promises to be the first step.
Solar panels on irrigation canals in California
The company Turlock Water & Power has presented the Project Nexus program With which cover the first irrigation canals with solar panels. The project, endowed with a fund of 20 million dollars, will install solar panels on irrigation canals in two places.
The first of them is a section of about 150 meters located along a curved part of the canal in the city of Hickman, approximately 160 kilometers from San Francisco. As for the second location, it will be located near Ceres and the section will be 1.6 km long.
Turlock Water & Power has been inspired by a similar project carried out in Gujarat (India) and, according to information by Reuterswill be the first of its kind to launch on US soil.
The advantages of installing solar panels on irrigation canals
There are several Advantages and benefits of installing solar panels on irrigation canals. On the one hand, there is the fact that the occupation of farmland is avoided. Something very important considering the current times and those that are glimpsed on the horizon. But there is even more, since the installation of these solar panels is also beneficial for the irrigation canals themselves, as they will help reduce the proliferation of algae and aquatic weeds, saving on maintenance costs.
There is also the temperature factor. The water from the canals has the potential to cool down the solar panels, increasing their efficiency. The panels, in turn, will provide shade and windbreaks over the water, reducing evaporation.