Scaling Clean: Nextracker and Doral CEOs on Building Mammoth, America’s Largest Solar Project

From Indiana Steel to Agrivoltaics: Dan Shugar and Nick Cohen talk Jobs, Property Rights, and the Future of U.S. Solar

This episode of Scaling Clean is a first on two fronts: we interviewed not one but two guests, and captured the entire conversation on video. Host Melissa Baldwin sat down with Dan Shugar, founder and CEO of Nextracker, and Nick Cohen, CEO of Doral Renewables, to discuss Mammoth Solar, the largest solar project in the United States and a milestone for clean energy development in Indiana.

The Story of Mammoth Solar

Mammoth Solar takes its name from a woolly mammoth whose bones were discovered in the same field where the project was built. Today, that fossil rests in the Smithsonian, while the solar project represents a different kind of legacy: one that connects energy, agriculture, and local communities.

Dan and Nick emphasized the importance of working directly with landowners, integrating agrivoltaics, and strengthening U.S. steel manufacturing to maximize the project’s long-term success.

Localizing Supply Chains (6:43)

As Dan explained, before COVID, much of the steel for solar trackers came from overseas. When the pandemic hit, steel prices doubled, shipping costs tripled, and delays mounted. In response, Nextracker shifted to domestic steel, now working with three of the four largest U.S. mills. With Indiana producing 25% of America’s steel, Mammoth Solar became the ideal project to showcase this localized supply chain, anticipating the goals of both the Build Back Better Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Creating Jobs and Supporting Farmers (10:20)

Nick shared that more than 1,200 local workers are employed in building Mammoth, earning high-wage jobs while helping the region transition to clean energy. The project also demonstrates the promise of agrivoltaics: farms continue producing crops, while vegetation is managed by thousands of sheep and even Kunekune pigs. Globally, agrivoltaics could expand to crops as varied as avocados, offering new revenue streams for farmers.

Protecting Property Rights (28:43)

Both CEOs voiced concern about the growing anti-renewables movement. In many communities, zoning boards are attempting to restrict how farmers use their land. As Nick warned, this trend threatens private property rights nationwide. Protecting the freedom of landowners to choose renewable energy development is essential to scaling clean power in America.

Why It Matters

Mammoth Solar is more than a record-breaking project. It’s a model for how clean energy, local jobs, and community trust can work together to fuel prosperity in the heart of the Midwest.

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