What California is learning from solar panels built over irrigation canals

News Here’s What California Is Learning From Solar Panels Built Over Irrigation Canals California solar panels tower over canals in Turlock, proving to save water, produce clean energy and improve local water quality. Sep 21, 2026 Updated 11:37 am PT Ella Jackson Solar panels cover part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal as part of Project Nexus in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. The pilot project is testing the use of solar panels over working irrigation canals to generate renewable energy. (Beth LaBerge/KQED) This story is part of Flipping the Switch , KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost?

Driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco , Jordan Harris saw the concrete canals that transport water across the state slowly evaporating under the scorching West Coast sun.