As California faces spiking electricity rates amid increasing electricity usage, the search is on for reliable, renewable energy options. One promising idea: Cover irrigation canals with solar panels—which wouldn’t just generate eco-friendly energy but would also help battle the state’s water crisis. The idea was inspired by a research paper by University of California-Merced scientist Brandi McKuin, PhD, who found adding the panels would produce much-needed power and also reduce water evaporation by up to 82 percent. And that would be a big win for California, which until recently had been combatting its worst drought in a millennium. Another bonus: The cooling effect of the water could help the solar panels operate more efficiently. Now the US$20 million Project Nexus—which is expected to break ground in the first part of 2023—will put her research into action. Based on a similar initiative in the west Indian state of Gujarat, the pilot calls for placing solar panels atop a 1.3-m...