A Kern County agricultural water district is putting some of its recharge basins to double duty: Sinking water and producing solar power. North Kern Water Storage District partnered with Fresno-based White Pine Renewables to build solar panels directly in more than 57 acres of its existing recharge basins along Zerker Road north of 7th Standard Road. The 14,444  panels can produce 10 megawatts a year, enough to supply 2,000 homes. But this power will go to North Kern, not the general grid. The project, which recently went live, is expected to cut North Kern’s electric bill by more than half.