Covering CA Canals with Solar Could Create 13 GW of Energy

13GW

A collaboration from the University of California-Merced, the state’s Department of Water Resources, the Turlock, Calif., Irrigation District and San Francisco-based Solar AquaGrid aims to increase the number of solar panels in the Central Valley without taking up land that could otherwise be used for other purposes. Called Project Nexus, the endeavor will build 8,500 feet of solar panels over a canal in Stanislaus County. The idea is that the panels will keep water in the canal from dissipating via evaporation while also keeping the solar panels cool. Researchers estimate that if all of California’s canals were covered, they could generate 13 gigawatts of renewable energy annually.
Source: New Atlas

Action!

Since the introduction of the virtual world in the metaverse, celebrities and others have begun buying “land” there. But Indian production firm Pooja Entertainment is the first company of its kind to purchase a plot of land for filmmaking. Producer Deepshikha Deshmukh said they plan to make “the Poojaverse” into “the absolute go-to space for quality entertainment and various aspects of filmmaking in the digital world.” Pooja’s film Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, a remake of the 1998 comedy, will be the first Bollywood movie made in the metaverse, with an estimated release date of Christmas 2023.
Source: Forbes

Charge It

One of the longtime obstacles to mass electric vehicle adoption in the U.S. has been access to chargers. In partnership with mobile charging app Currently, which lets users schedule a charge at a pre-arranged time by connecting them with a technician with a charger in the field, Kia is piloting a program for its EV drivers in San Francisco, San Diego and San Jose, Calif. While those cities already have robust charger networks, the service could come in handy when drivers need a short burst of power (up to 50 miles, according to Currently) in an emergency. Kia hopes to soon expand the service beyond these California cities.
Source: Engadget

78%

In a December 2021 survey of 1,500 U.S. customers, augmented reality (AR) company Camera IQ found that more than three-quarters of respondents said they’re likely to share a brand’s AR marketing experience on social media. The study also found that AR product visualizations — like the ability to place a piece of furniture in your own home virtually — can make 59 percent of consumers more likely to buy something.
Source: Venture Beat