Nexus Project: California's First Canal-Top Solar Installation Now Operational
The Nexus project, a groundbreaking 1.6 MW solar installation, is now complete and operational in California. It's the first of its kind in the US, bringing together public, private, and academic sectors. The project, which covers canals with solar panels, became fully operational in August 2025.
The project involves two sites in Stanislaus County. One spans a 30-meter-wide canal, while the other covers a 6-meter-wide canal. Each ESS container used in the project provides 400 kWh of peak energy and has a lifespan of more than 20,000 cycles. A battery energy storage system, using 75 kW iron flow batteries from US manufacturer ESS, has been installed at the narrowest canal site.
The project serves as a proof of concept to study the design, implementation, and co-benefits of canal-top solar. It's funded by a $20 million state-funded pilot project, presented as a model for agricultural regions affected by water stress. The project uses TID's infrastructure and grid access, and TID is studying potential improvements in water quality from reduced vegetative growth.
The Nexus project, now operational, could save 63 billion gallons of water annually if scaled up to cover California's 4,000 km of canals. This is enough to irrigate 50,000 acres of farmland or supply more than 2 million residents. The project demonstrates a innovative way to generate clean energy while conserving water.
