California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced Thursday that the state is pouring $20 million into a pilot program to cover canals with solar panels, touting it as an “innovative” climate solution. The internet had other ideas.
The program, called Project Nexus, would drape solar panels over sections of California’s irrigation canals in hopes of generating electricity while cutting down on evaporation. Newsom posted about it on X, framing it as a rebuke of the Trump administration’s energy agenda.
“While the Trump Administration tears down clean energy in favor of fossil fuels, California is activating a pilot project for the nation’s first solar-covered canal,” Newsom wrote. “We’re investing in new technologies to find more solutions for lowering costs, saving water, and preparing for a hotter, drier future.”
The reaction was swift and not especially sympathetic.
The US Oil and Gas Association fired back on X: “Cool. Is it going to cost $251 billion and never be built?” The reference was to California’s high-speed rail project, which has ballooned in cost from an original $33 billion estimate to over $100 billion, with a final tab some analysts now project could exceed $250 billion. Construction remains incomplete.
Newsom’s office described the $20 million as state funding for a pilot test designed to measure energy output, water conservation, water quality, and canal maintenance costs. The governor’s office framed Project Nexus as part of a broader strategy to address climate and water challenges.
“We remain committed to investing in clean energy and developing cutting-edge technologies to address climate and water challenges,” Newsom said in a statement. “California is showing the world what’s possible when innovation meets action.”
The announcement comes as Newsom faces ongoing scrutiny over state spending priorities. Critics have pointed to the high-speed rail debacle as evidence that California under Newsom struggles to deliver major infrastructure projects on time or within budget. The state also faced significant criticism over its response to the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, which killed dozens and destroyed thousands of structures while water shortages hampered firefighting efforts.
Newsom, widely seen as a 2028 presidential contender, has positioned himself as a leading national voice for climate policy and a counterweight to Trump-era deregulation.
