A 1.6 MW solar power plant, built on an irrigation canal in California, USA, has been put into operation. The project generates clean electricity and also reduces water evaporation.
The 1.6 MW solar energy system, installed on the canals of the Turlock Irrigation District in California, has entered service. This $20 million state-funded pilot project is presented as a model for agricultural regions affected by water scarcity.
As part of the Nexus Project, two different sections of the canal in Stanislaus County, one 30 meters wide and the other 6 meters wide, were covered with panels. Both systems began operating at full capacity in August 2025. The project serves as a test to study the design, installation, and additional benefits of canal-top solar power.
The project also includes an energy storage system. It uses 75 kW iron flow batteries from the US-based manufacturer ESS. Each container can store 400 kWh of energy and offers a lifespan of more than 20,000 cycles with a fully recyclable electrolyte system. The iron components are obtained through recycling, and the electrolyte solution consists of saltwater.
Under research support, the University of California Merced campus has installed measuring devices in both areas. Although water savings from evaporation have not yet been measured, a previous study showed that covering all of California’s 4,000 km of canals could save 238 million cubic meters of water per year. This amount is equivalent to irrigating 200,000 acres of farmland or providing drinking water for more than 2 million people.
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