Listen to JazzPHX
A new KJZZ series brings you the real people behind the headlines.
Listen live weekdays at 9 a.m.
California Scientists Propose Covering Canals With Solar Panels To Reduce Evaporation
Download mp3 (9.57 MB)Sustainability coverage is supported in part by Intel
Solar AquaGrid LLC
A University of California study found numerous advantages in mounting solar panels over open water canals.
Water is becoming increasingly scarce across the Western U.S., and scientists are looking for ways to preserve what we do have.
Researchers in California have come up with an idea they say would save water by preventing evaporation: covering the state’s nearly 4,000 miles of canals with solar panels. They also say that’d generate renewable energy without having to build a big solar field.
Brandi McKuin, a postdoctoral researcher in the environmental studies department at UC Santa Cruz, is one of the scientists working on this.
The Show spoke with her to learn about some of the potential benefits of doing this.
Solar AquaGrid LLC
A University of California study found numerous advantages in mounting solar panels over open water canals.
