The California Solar Canal Initiative (CSCI) wants to use research from the University of California, Merced, to find communities that are willing to generate power with solar-energy canals.
The CSCI wants to increase the number of solar installations on the California channels.
The initiative is led by the University of Southern California (USC) Dornsife Public Exchange and Independent Advisory Solar Aquagrid, and includes the faculty of seven universities, six of which are in California.
A survey from 2021 conducted by researchers from the University of California, Merced, showed that covering large parts of the 4000 miles of California with Arrays can help save solar panels to save water, reduce air pollution, save land and generate clean energy with the help of existing country and infrastructure.
The Merced Study Showed that covering the infrastructure of the public water allowance system in California with solar panels can generate 13 GW energy annually, equal to what was at that time about a sixth of the current installed capacity of the state and about half infrastructure.
Project Nexus Was the result of the 2021 study, a solar sun of $ 20 million on the channel project funded by the state of California and carried out by the Turlock Irrigation District, together with the Department of Water Resource, Solar Aquagrid and the University of California, Merced. The project serves as a proof of concept and pilot, with the construction of solar arroys over a 20-foot wide and a 110-feet wide canal. It is expected that this year is operational, the project also includes energy storage to study how storage facilities can support the local electric grid when solar generation is sub -optimal due to cloud covering.
The CSCI project 2025 aims to use the information obtained in the 2021 study and first continuing with implementation by providing data on locations and willing communities to government agencies, utilities and members of the community.
CSCI researchers will collaborate with the government agencies responsible for water, country and energy: California Department of Water Resources, California Natural Resource Agency and California Energy Commission.
“California is at the forefront of exploring innovative solutions to tackle climate change and strengthen our resilience of water and energy,” said CNRA secretary Wade Crowfoot. “We are delighted to see that top research settings come together to help solar panels about water channels implement and a great idea with a great potential. Science-driven collaborations such as these are crucial to lead our way ahead.”
USC Dornsife Public Exchange has compiled a multidisciplinary research team of the Faculty of Seven Universities: University of Southern California, University of California (UC) Merced, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC Law San Francisco.
Solar Aquagrid leads an advisory board from government experts, the academic world and the private sector to ensure that the results are usable.
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