California's New Energy Experiment Is Working And It Changes Everything

Innovations in solar power are driving a new energy experiment in California. The experiment officially launched in 2025 under the title Project Nexus, and it involves a 115-foot-wide canal covered in solar panels, with the intention of having the canal and solar panels essentially functioning in a mutually beneficial relationship. California is often on the cutting edge of the latest energy innovations and experiments, paving the way for a more sustainable future; Project Nexus is no exception.

Solar power makes use of dark, square panels to collect energy from the sun and convert it to usable power. You may have seen these panels on the roofs of houses or buildings, where they can gather energy from the sun and convert it into power for the home's appliances, lights, and more. You might have also seen multiple solar panels lined up in fields; these are typically for large-scale commercial purposes.

Importantly, solar power is an attractive option for many. It is an easily renewable energy source because the sun is always present, and it doesn't damage the environment the way fossil fuels do. In the long run, it is more affordable because you just rely on the sun for power instead of a utility company. There is even research into solar panels made from bacteria that could power the homes of the future. Now, Project Nexus promises to open up a new pathway altogether for the benefits of solar power. 

Project Nexus is a state-funded, $20 million project with a focus on finding the best energy alternatives, and doing so by using California's existing network of canals. The main target of the project has been the Hickman Canal, located near Hickman, a town in central California — due east of San Francisco and due west of Yosemite National Park.

The idea started with the founder of Solar AquaGrid, Jordan Harris, who had seen canals benefit from tree shade in France, as well as canals directly shaded by solar panels in India. After running the numbers, he and a team of researchers determined that solar panels over central California canals could result in 63 billion gallons of water saved every year. Thus, Project Nexus was born.

The project has already seen impressive results. Parts of California are often known for their heat; Death Valley even melted a tourist's skin once. By shading the canals, the solar panels reduce water loss in the California heat. In turn, the cool water of the canal naturally reduces heat on the panels to make them more efficient. And the solar panels, of course, generate usable energy for the area. In theory, the idea is sound, but Solar AquaGrid is eager to see the hard data that comes from this project in a year's time.

This project seems to be a promising win-win situation in terms of canal efficiency and solar power utilization. However, not all agree that solar power is the ideal solution to the energy challenge we are facing, and they do raise some valid points and counterarguments.

The sun is not always reliable depending on the frequency of cloudy days, on which there is reduced energy for solar panels to collect. However, solar batteries do help to overcome this situation, as they store solar power for the future. Solar panels also take up a lot of space, though we can be hopeful about the technology improving in the future to make them smaller. That said, in the case of Project Nexus, the canals are already there, so in this case, the solar panels are not taking up extra space. Other concerns are the expensive upfront costs and the fact that not everyone enjoys the way solar panels look. Regarding Project Nexus, it's certainly expensive, and while solar panels may blend in on the roof of a house or building, covering canals in turn covers up part of the natural scenery.

Nevertheless, solar energy technology and projects like this will be intriguing to watch in the future. In fact, German scientists are working on ultra-thin solar panels that are more efficient. This kind of research, as well as Project Nexus, could potentially solve the planet's energy crisis. If solar technology becomes more efficient, more wide-spread, and can take up less space, the innovations of Project Nexus may even be the norm one day.