-
How is Project Nexus timely?
The Biden administration has called for rapid modernization of water, transportation and energy infrastructure, and federal agencies have been directed to identify new opportunities for clean-energy technology and infrastructure. Meanwhile, California is calling for 60 percent of its electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030. Gov. Newsom outlined a historic $15 billion climate bill…
-
What types of solar panels will be installed on TID canals?
Because one goal of Project Nexus is to study various components of the system as a whole including panels and inverters to evaluate efficiency and performance when generating energy over water, it is expected that several types of solar panels may ultimately be selected for implementation so that variations in performance can be studied. TID…
-
How much water could TID conserve with Project Nexus?
The amount of evaporation savings that TID will see as a result of Project Nexus is unknown currently, however, it is one of the central points of study to be completed by the UC system. In addition to water conservation, potential improvements to water quality through reduced vegetative growth is of significant interest to TID.…
-
Where (and when) will solar panel canopies be installed within TID?
All told, an estimated 8,500 feet of solar panels are expected to be built over three sections of Turlock Irrigation District’s canals. The three sections are areas of various orientations and canal widths, ranging from 20 feet wide to 100 feet wide. The Project is anticipated to break ground in Fall 2023 and be complete…
-
Why was Turlock Irrigation District selected?
Formed in 1887, TID was the first irrigation district formed in California and provides irrigation water to 4,700 growers who farm about 150,000 acres in the San Joaquin Valley. TID also provides power to homes, businesses, and farms. TID’s unique position as an irrigation district with 250 miles of canals as well as an electric…
-
What were some findings of the 2021 University of California study?
The UC Merced study showed that covering California’s approximately 4,000 miles of public water delivery infrastructure with solar panels can result in significant water, energy, and cost savings for the state. The study illustrates a savings of some 63 billion gallons of water annually – enough to irrigate 50,000 acres of farmland or meet the…
-
What are some benefits of solar panels over canals?
It is expected that the solar shading over canals will provide various co-benefits, including reduced water evaporation resulting from mid-day shade and wind, water quality improvements through reduced vegetative growth, reduced canal maintenance through reduced vegetative growth, renewable electricity generation, and air quality improvements, among others. Working with the research team at UC Merced, Project…
-
How did Project Nexus get its name?
The pilot project is called Project Nexus as a nod to the water-energy nexus paradigm gaining attention among public utilities. Utilities are increasingly recognizing the symbiotic relationship between water management and energy management, and are finding ways to design projects and actions that benefit the management of both resources beyond what has been done historically.…
-
What is Project Nexus?
Project Nexus culminates with the installation of solar panel canopies over various sections of Turlock Irrigation District’s irrigation canals. Project Nexus will serve as a Proof of Concept to pilot and further study solar over canal design, deployment, and co-benefits on behalf of the State of California using TID land and grid access. The Project…
