Mammoth North Solar is a 400 MW agrivoltaic installation that is the first phase of Doral Renewables’ 1.3 GW solar complex.
Doral Renewables announced that the first segment of its Mammoth Solar project is about to achieve operations. The plant will be the largest operating solar installation in Indiana and is expected to provide enough electricity to power 75,000 homes a year.
In a ceremony that focused on the project’s social and economic impacts on the local community, RJ Howard, chef and owner of the local Maggie Lu’s Market said, “Mammoth Solar’s presence is felt everywhere throughout the county. Almost every industry and business will reap the benefits of this project”.
Mammoth North is an agrivoltaics installation with more than 1,500 sheep already grazing the land. The sheep are managed by local farmer Billy Bope who called the dual-use project a win-win. “We’re able to diversify our farming practices with livestock, which allows us to maintain the vegetation to the level Mammoth North needs,” said Billy. “Specifically for my family, Mammoth Solar also allows the next generations of Bopes to stay on our family’s farm.”
Mammoth North is built on 4,500 acres in Starke County, about 20% of which were used for solar with the other 80% remaining green and/or used for growing crops.
According to Doral, the project started as a grassroots effort in 2019 culminating in having 65 families leasing their land to Doral for the project. In 2021, the company executed a long-term power purchase agreement with AEP Energy, a subsidiary of American Electric Power, who will be the sole offtaker.
“Indiana continues to chart the path forward toward the future economy, ranking among the top states for new clean energy under development thanks to the commitment and partnership of companies like Doral Renewables,” said Governor Eric J. Holcomb. “This mammoth-sized project is not only creating new jobs and new opportunities across northwest Indiana, but it is elevating our state and showcasing Hoosier innovation on the world’s stage.”
The project focused on using local labor and American materials including tracker systems from U.S.-based Nextracker that provided trackers specially designed for agrivoltaic installations.
Mammoth North is part of the Mammoth Solar project that, when complete, will have a capacity of 1.3 GW. Sitting on 13,000 acres of farm fields, Mammoth will produce enough electricity to power 247,000 homes.
Doral Renewables is a Philadelphia-based renewable energy developer, owner, and operator of renewable energy assets, with a solar and storage development portfolio of over 13 GW, including 1.3 GW under construction.
