Why Indiana?

When The Doral Group, a leading company in the field of renewable energy, and US-based Clean Air Generation prospected for the right place to launch their partnership’s (today known as Doral Renewables) first project in the United States, Indiana was an obvious choice.

The state’s infrastructure, terrain, business climate and desire to be at the forefront of the future of global energy all stood out.

“Indiana really is the most competitively advantaged location for this kind of business,” said Nick Cohen, CEO of Philadelphia-based Doral Renewables LLC. CEO Nick Cohen said. “The grid is here. The farm fields are flat, and the communities are very accepting of this new form of farming.”

Cohen’s use of the word “farming” is appropriate, because Doral Renewables and participating farmers aren’t just harvesting the sun’s energy. The 13,000-acre solar farm the company is building will continue to accommodate crop and livestock production by local farmers, a practice known as agrivoltaics. Mammoth Solar agrivoltaics plans were named “Dual Use Plan of the Year” during the 2024 North American Agrivoltaics Awards.

Doral Renewables is selling some of the power generated by Mammoth Solar to AEP Energy, a subsidiary of American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP), one of the country’s largest electric energy wholesale suppliers.

Cohen credited state and local government entities for creating the business-friendly environment in which Doral Renewables could build the country’s largest solar farm.

“That’s how you create an opportunity that leads to more jobs and more companies coming to the state … . I think the outlook is very good for Indiana.”

A Mammoth Win for Indiana

Hosting Doral Renewables’ Mammoth Solar, the largest solar farm in the country, announces to the world that Indiana is a serious player in the future of global energy and positions the state to attract other major projects in the energy sector. It also adds to the state’s power portfolio, creating an advantage as Indiana pursues investments in sectors such as advanced manufacturing and life sciences.

And there are advantages close to home. “Our continued partnership with Doral, the northwest Indiana community and project stakeholders is creating more opportunities for Hoosier businesses and residents alike,” said David Rosenberg, secretary of the Indiana Department of Commerce.

Billy Bope, a local farmer who is working with Doral Renewables on Mammoth Solar’s agrivoltaics potential, sees the project as a win-win for farmers and for clean energy.

“We’re able to diversify our farming practices with livestock, which allows us to maintain the vegetation to the level Mammoth North needs. Specifically for my family, Mammoth Solar also allows the next generations of Bopes to stay on our family’s farm,” Bope said.

The advantages go beyond farming. Both Starke and Pulaski counties expect businesses as diverse as restaurants and trash haulers to get a boost. And both counties are due big payouts from Doral Renewables over the life of the project.

In addition to increased property and income-tax collections, Pulaski County is expecting roughly $25 million to $46 million in economic development payments over the life of the project. Nathan Origer, the county’s executive director of economic development, says it’s too early to know how those funds could be used. Possibilities include:

  • annual debt-service payments for the ongoing rehabilitation of the county courthouse, the recent renovation of and addition to its justice center, or both;
  • sustaining ongoing operational costs;
  • supporting community development projects; and
  • financial support to local units of government.

FAST FACTS

WHO: Philadelphia-based Doral Renewables LLC.

WHAT: The largest solar project in the United States, spread across Pulaski and Starke counties in northern Indiana

OWNERSHIP: Land is owned by local landowners and leased to Doral for 30 years.

INVESTMENT: $1.5 billion

JOBS: 50 full-time jobs, over 1,000 construction jobs during the construction period of all phases.

LOCAL FINANCIAL BENEFIT: Pulaski County alone expects to receive economic development payments of roughly $25 million to $46 million over the life of the project.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS: Mammoth Solar will eliminate 40,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions and conserve 1 billion gallons of irrigation well water annually.

POWER PRODUCED: 1.3 gigawatts of clean energy, enough to power 250,000 homes in Indiana and across the Midwest every year for the life of the project.

TIMELINE: Constructed in three phases. Phase One is operating. Second and third phases are under construction.

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