Doral Renewables’ Mammoth Solar project has partnered with Purdue University and others to help rural Midwest communities tackle extreme weather events and rising energy demands.
Purdue and its partners launched Midwest Agrivoltaics for Resilient Communities (MARC) under the National Science Foundation’s Regional Resilience Innovation Incubator program. MARC pairs solar and agriculture through a dual-use model that boosts food production and energy reliability.
According to Building Indiana Business, MARC’s Phase 1 award opens the door to a $15 million Phase 2 grant for additional research and implementation.
To advance their efforts, Mammoth Solar is creating a specialized demonstration zone within its project footprint in Pulaski and Starke counties that will be dedicated to research and community impact activities. Organizers will host crop trials, robotics testing, and advanced monitoring systems to assess how agrivoltaics can optimize land use and improve agricultural performance.
“When hail ruins a harvest, heat strains livestock, or windstorms cut electricity, farmers and their communities are hit hard,” said Dr. Dan Chavas, Principal Investigator at Purdue University. “Our goal is to understand how agrivoltaics can make our nation’s rural communities more resilient and prosperous.”
Mammoth Solar is also teaming up with Nextpower (formerly Nextracker). The advanced solar energy technology solutions company will offer its NX Horizon™ solar tracker technology, along with proprietary planning software, to support agricultural monitoring, performance modeling, and resilience under extreme weather conditions.
Ed Baptista, Doral Renewables Vice President of Development and Agrivoltaics, added, “Mammoth Solar brings practical expertise in large-scale solar development and dual-use practices. By dedicating space for crop trials and harnessing Purdue and Nextpower’s expertise, we aim to show that agrivoltaics can provide reliable power, protect agricultural productivity, and strengthen rural economies against climate and market disruptions.”
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