California’s Next Big Energy Experiment Is Working

California’s water system is considered to be one of the most complex in the world. Thousands of miles of canals snake through Central California’s agricultural fields, transporting water from the state’s intricate network of dams and reservoirs to feed the thirsty almonds, strawberries and grapes (among other crops) that cover sprawling fields. Most Californians only glance at this system from a passing highway, remarking at its many miles of efficient uniformity. But soon, these waterways may start to look a little different.

Near Hickman, California, just outside Modesto, a 110-foot-wide grid of solar panels now tops a section of canal, arching over the gently flowing water. Solar projects have long been a crucial piece of the state’s movement to clean energy, and these panels are part of a new project that’s hoping to do far more than just generate electricity. Dubbed Project Nexus, the $20 million state-funded initiative hopes to better understand whether these installations can be an even more efficient approach to solar energy.