Apeofdeath
25238
1077
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https://www.reddit.com/r/solarpunk/s/l8v1W17tmh
ecoportal.net
California's Project Nexus bolted solar arrays over 1,400 feet of irrigation canals in Stanislaus County and measured a 70% drop in evaporation and an 85%
Dolenmorgul
See, that's another useful use for trees
Servo87
The aquatic weed thing is a nice bonus but I would have just assumed that shade would help anyway. I always just assumed that the corpos just didn't want to embrace solutions that would lose them money.
jtxyz
I look forward to us gradually rolling out another 3 miles of test canal over the next 76 years.
EverNotRelevant
We could've been doing this ages ago, but some moron said "solar roads!"
WwwhyYouNoLikeMe
Is it 85% of a sentence?
0xBADA55
tjinme
But now you're ruining the environment with solar panels. Won't that kill whales or something?
legobumb
Funny how putting shade over an area drops the temperature a bit. It's almost like people haven't been sitting under trees for shade to cool down for... forever. I feel like the technology of putting a roof over something has been around for millennia and yet NOW they think of this to save water from evaporation? Not knocking the tech, but come on science-bros... This seems long overdue and a very basic approach to me.
VinnyVeritas
If only Nevada would do that along infinitely long stretches of desert highway...
dixxienormus
*Correction :- "Fouls" means naturally growing in water in this location.
TheBourbonGrill
It could have saved the reflecting pool!
ItsJustBluskyandImgrNow
https://search.brave.com/images?q=solar+panels+for+livestoazing">https://search.brave.com/imck+gr">azing">https://search.brave.com/images?q=solar+panels+for+livestock+grazing
https://search.brave.com/images?q=shade+grown+crops+und">ages?">ck+gr">azing">https://search.brave.com/images?q=solar+panels+for+livestock+grazing
https://search.brave.com/images?q=shade+grown+crops+under+solar+panels
https://solargrazing.org/what-is-solar-grazing
https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/article/2026/03/02/agrivoltaics-how-combining-solar-panels-and-farming-delivers-big-benefits
InablueMule
need a few hundred miles!
buttabuttabutt
Say "Bolted" again.
SwampApe75
EatYourSoylentGreenAndShutUp
Most Americans probably: https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1YmF3dTBsamhoa3k4eXUwY2VlcWk1Z2N3NGI2Yzhrc3pxaHd4cWQ0MiZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/zIwIWQx12YNEI/200w.webp
BeaverOnFire
https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1MTZkNWl2ZWx1NTlzeTZxb2M5MXBxbzV2dmVlM3VqNHA1YWQ3cWxiNCZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/rAZEnOu0KHQK4/200w.webp
Nightcaste
Aquatic weed? That hydroponic shit will get you fucked up.
pretzeldialectic
This is a great photo. You could make a meme that people would share on social media.
ZiiB
Good news, I like it
Antrobus55
And there's 5K mi of canals there.
0xBADA55
85% ..
CookieMonstersCrumbs
I wish they'd do this for parking lots and roads/highways.
Ree81
Over roads and they need to be a bit too tall, it's expensive. But build bicycle/walking streets with them above...
thomn8r
I'm in Northern California, and lots of office building now have solar-covered parking lots; roughly 40% of the parking lot at my office is covered with solar panels.
Gryphonosiris
At high schools, hospitals and colleges too.
TripleDane
Emission creates a lot of dust/dirt
Ree81
The way America's going i fully expect someone to just drag a chain over the entire thing with some jig on their truck "because woke".
pmmehugeboobies
Pipe. Walking trail. Then solar panels
AgamemnonsMemes
Solarpunk is so awesome, thats the way we need to be going
whyforetho
kinda ironic that a site that seems to be focused on positive stories about the environment uses ai generated images for every article
Picoshi
Who the fuck has energy to look at every single fucking image to look up if it's AI or not.
Camelspotting
Jesus that's lazy
PubMed12927120suckssobad
Yeah, every shadow is just not right
lozeldatkm
Hope you did your part
MoopsyLD
Fuck man there is rust all over in that AI pic
SinStar87
https://imgur.com/oXnuCGj Here's the one posted by newsom. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/04/29/governor-newsom-announces-the-completion-of-first-of-its-kind-solar-covered-canal-in-the-central-valley-piloting-a-new-way-to-save-water-and-reduce-costs/
PubMed12927120suckssobad
He should prompt the AI next time to make the image not such a grotesquely misuse of concrete and steel, over-building the structure. Get a real engineer, man.
Comet260
He should ask it how not to be a neolib.
Traquaire
You can just glance at a structure and determine the dead load, wind load, and seismic resistance accurately enough to state definitively that the selected steel section is "grotesquely" over built? Do you see the fence in the background? That is likely 6' high for an idea of the scale of the structure. Hopefully you're not an engineer irl, and instead just another loud mouth ignoramus on the internet.
SinStar87
I think it's also a completed section of one of the 15ft wide canals.
Traquaire
Looks like it is a 25' wide section: https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/article/2025/11/12/solar-panels-over-california-canals-generate-power-save-water
Evenmoreuselessname
I took one look at the weird "weeds" and how they just exactly stop at the edge and said "there's some AI bullshit
lozeldatkm
Oh wow, cover the water and it keeps better. Who'd have thunk it?
lozeldatkm
Also, downvote for AI use. I know it's the news site that did it but still, it's principle.
cousteau
Why not just cover the canal with like boards or something for the evaporation/algae thing? I mean solar panels work too, definitely a better idea than making solar roads like some geniuses proposed some time ago, but come on…
SinStar87
cause they want more power as well.
mynamespaul
Yes but setting up regular solar panels in a field nearby; then separately putting wooden boards over the canal, would be cheaper to build and (significantly) cheaper to maintain, than combining both projects into solar panels over canal. Unless you’re extremely constrained by land, seems the extra costs seem to outweigh the benefits of this project over two much simpler and routine projects unrelated to one another.
Camelspotting
Downstream water users have no leverage to get upstream users to do this.
orangefactorfive
If you want to cut evaporation, just put a roof over the canal. Having wired solar panels like over a whole canal would be a maintenance and logistical nightmare, especially for canals that may be hundreds of miles in length. It would be more efficient to have panels over parking lots in cities, since parking already takes up half the space in the city, the electrical infrastructure is already there, and repairs could be done on a local basis.
EverNotRelevant
Evaporation provide cooling to the panels, makes them function better.
dunkum09
there are more efficient ways to cut evaporation and to generate power, but how does the cost/benefit of doing 2 more efficient projects compare to doing each less efficiently in 1 project? that's an honest question because i absolutely don't have the numbers. but e.g. if it is 85% as effective, but costs 75% the combined price, that's still a net win. on the other hand if its only about 50% as effective for 100% of the combined price, then you'd be better off just doing them separate
Ree81
If you're already constructing a very solar panel friendly roof, in 2026, you might as well put a solar panel on it. Really, no downside.
veesee
You should look up solar carports bud.
iusedtodream
Dope. I'm here for this. Progressive!
Ilovehavingfreehealthcare
Progressively generated by AI. There is rust in the dirt and concrete and that rake is huge
hyptosis
Repubs are already against it then!
skibbyAU
THOSE ARE HARDWORKING WHITE AMERICAN AQUATIC WEEDS AAAAHHHHHH
indyliberal
"Nobody knows more about energy than me—nobody. Solar is a total scam! When a cloud comes over, the power goes completely out—your TV turns off, your fridge stops! And those panels actually drain the natural light right out of the sun, killing millions of birds. Terrible!" /s
Canigetbannedagain2
I still don't know why in southern states they don't try this in parking lots. Imaging a Costco in California and half the lot was always in the shade. The power made could offset the power for the building. If it works then you could do the full lot, but, I know, it's pricy.
vicvalour
No, it's a different kind of 'weed', but I agree with the sentiment
blaghart
this has been a common implementation over canals for the past two decades btw, much of the newest solar is these solar shades for canals.
crimpitdown9001
Lots of canals in Phoenix could utilize this system most have trails that follow them, fish and local plant life. And all that power going back into the grid?! What's the hold up, folks?!
HeyHeyDoubleA
…. It doesn’t enrich the republicans?
Sageypie
We just need to start implementing something similar for the fuckoff huge swaths of parking we have in the US. I'd imagine your average Walmart parking lot would be viable enough to provide power for the store and for most of the surrounding homes and whatnot. Plus it would be shielding from the sun and rain for people and vehicles. Win-win
Whenthepiecesaresmalltaketwo
Yes! This please
Micro2112
Yes. Stop wasting farm lands or rural areas for solar farms. Incentives for solar on parking lots and commercial building roofs.
Micro2112
That's what's power is needed anyways. Every Walmart would be able to power the homes of every shopper
UnitConversionBot
1,400 feet ≈ 427 metres
seehemewe
It's like 1/4 mile. How short is the canal?
kaneinencanto
How many bananas is that though?
shameofslate
42
Cookiesnm1lk
2542 bananas OR 4200 hamburgers OR 2800 hot dogs
Ankylosaur
I'm just surprised some startup hasn't suggested putting solar panels on the canal bottom, like they keep doing with roadways and train tracks.
chewmaca2
Only if they are attached to a unwanted traffic cam. Still not recommended though.
NeverTrustThisNew
https://www.techradar.com/home/energy-saving/scientists-test-underwater-solar-panels-that-work-10-meters-beneath-the-waves-breakthrough-perovskite-tech-could-support-self-powered-marine-drones
There you go don't wonder anymore!
Nafira
Solar panels on roads, tested in France and it doesn't work. Like at all,
ufoara
Sageypie
I mean, we have a lot of roadway in the US. If we could convert some of that into energy production, it'd be amazing. Issue is that none of the proposed methods ao far have been at all viable. Turns out that driving several tons of steel and glass over a solar panel isn't great for the panels longevity, and that cars kind of need a surface that's not smooth plastic to drive on, unless you're planning on driving out of control.
Badprenup
Yeah maybe things putting solar panels in the empty area around highway rest areas? One not too far from where I live has about 10 acres of flat, open space in the empty area between the freeway and and rest area parking lot, plus an additional 2 acres or so if they put solar panel shade awnings over the parking lot areas.
It's space owned by the city or state already, unusable for anything else, and could power the rest area itself + a couple hundred nearby homes easily.
ViperMD
Solar.. Fucking.. Roadways. Jesus buttfucking Christ, was that ever a fucking stupid idea.
zertmaster
Well they are starting to use graphene to enhance solar panel efficiency and it has a self cleaning effect too. But if they were to also use graphene for structural reinforcement. They might be able to make panels strong enough to drive heavy equipment on.
PubMed12927120suckssobad
Not if you use bifacial panels. Then it makes twice as much sense
ViperMD