UC Merced and the San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority are partnering on a new pilot study involving solar panels, which is the beginning of a larger working relationship that is expected to result in a skilled workforce for the water industry in the region.
The university and the water authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding last Friday, agreeing to work together using science-based and data-driven decision-making on efforts to mitigate climate impacts.
The big picture: The five-year pilot study is placing solar panels on the water in the Delta-Mendota Canal.
- The project also focuses on using three different technologies to assess the viability, costs and benefits of floating solar panels over large water projects such as the Delta-Mendota Canal.
- Research is expected to explore the potential for power generation with the new method.
Go deeper: The pilot program is part of $25 million in funding through the INflation Reduction Act to install solar panels over irrigation canals in California, Oregon, New Mexico and Utah.
- This specific project is receiving $15 million of the total funding.
- Along with the solar panel project, UC Merced students will have an opportunity to work on water management projects with the water authority.
What they’re saying: “This partnership reflects our collective belief that education, research and practice must come together to create real, lasting change,” said UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz. “Through this partnership, we are taking a vital step toward securing a future where water is managed responsibly, sustainably and equitably for all.”
- The water authority said the water industry faces potential staffing issues with an aging workforce, leading to this investment.
- “The future of the San Joaquin Valley relies on decision-making based on sound scientific principles and adapting water-management policies based on new learning,” said Cannon Michal, San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority Chairman. “We must proactively invest in the next generation of water leaders, and we are committed to providing opportunities for students being educated in the San Joaquin Valley to work on issues that impact the communities in which they live.”
- UC Merced professor Joshua Viers said the university’s applied research activities will be especially focused on securing a climate-resilient water future.
- “Priority areas of research and training beyond the energy-water nexus include improving the science and engineering of groundwater recharge, developing and deploying better technologies for measuring and monitoring water use, and exploring how water economics and policy decisions will shape the future of San Joaquin communities,” Viers said.
