A first-of-its-kind solar project in Southern Oregon is helping lower energy costs for local families and conserving water for farmers.

In May 2026, Senator Jeff Merkley and other leaders from across Oregon celebrated the completion of Oregon’s first floating solar project. More than 1,700 solar panels mounted on water-safe, floating platforms now cover 1.8 acres of a reservoir at the Medford Irrigation District, a public corporation that delivers water to local farms.

As a community solar project, the installation will help provide locally generated renewable energy to the district, the City of Medford and around 60 homes in Jackson County. The shade from the panels will also help reduce evaporation during warmer months.

“This is an example of how we can tackle multiple challenges at once—conserving water, lowering energy costs and supporting the farmers and communities that depend on both,” said U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley. “As drought and extreme heat put more pressure on our water systems, we need smart investments like this that help communities make the most of every drop.”

Sen. Merkley and Sen. Ron Wyden helped secure federal funding for the project, which was developed by the Farmers Conservation Alliance, with support from program and utility partners including Energy Trust of Oregon and Pacific Power. They also provided funding for the project’s initial design, helping bring the innovative idea from concept to completion.

Bringing solar to more people
Community solar projects are larger solar installations that generate energy that utility customers can subscribe to. The project in Medford is part of the  Oregon Community Solar Program, which helps more people access the benefits of solar energy, including those who may not have the ability to install solar panels on their own homes or buildings.

Here’s how the program works.

• Customers of Portland General Electric or Pacific Power can subscribe to a community solar project
• Subscribers pay a subscription fee
• Subscribers earn credits on their energy bill for the project’s solar energy, which typically offset the subscription fee and lower monthly energy costs.
• A portion of each community solar project is reserved for families with lower incomes and savings are guaranteed for those subscribers

Energy Trust helps administer the Oregon Community Solar Program, which has helped lower energy costs for more than 11,000 families and businesses.

Supporting farming communities
The floating solar project is also part of broader efforts underway in the Rogue Valley to modernize aging water systems and help farming communities cope with drought and extreme heat.

Many irrigation systems across Oregon rely on decades-old open canals that can lose large amounts of water to evaporation and leaks before it reaches farms. In response, Energy Trust is helping irrigation districts cover canals, install pipes and upgrade outdated equipment through its Irrigation Modernization program delivered by the Farmers Conservation Alliance. The program also helps districts add hydropower. The result is millions of gallons of water saved, far less maintenance and lower energy costs.

Together, Energy Trust and Farmers Conservation Alliance have worked with more than 30 irrigation districts that deliver water to more than 500,000 acres across Oregon.

Photo credit to Farmer’s Conservation Alliance