Researchers in California are hoping to use renewable energy to conserve water. UC Santa Cruz researchers say covering 4,000 miles of canals with solar panels could prevent water evaporation. They say this could save around 64-billion gallons of water. The solar panels would create 13 gigawatts of power every year – that’s 1/6 of what we make today. Canal systems in India are already using the model. If implemented, California would be the first in the nation. The company, Solar Aqua-Grid, is developing a pilot project.