Solar project supports family farm through agrivoltaics/dual-use practices and long-term leasing

Based in Philadelphia, Doral Renewables LLC focuses on developing, owning, and operating utility-scale solar and battery storage projects, with integration of agrivoltaic practices, across the country. The company stands as a steadfast ally to farmers, supporting sustainable energy solutions and driving economic development. In Northwest Indiana, a local family has benefitted from these efforts, as part of the company’s Mammoth Solar project.

Billy Bope is a landowner in the project and a farmer who provides vegetation management services. His father started their family farm in 1955 when he got out of the military.

“He purchased the first part of the land in our area. We raised pigs with a farrow-to-finish hog operation up until 2000. From 1955 up until today, we are still doing row cropping, mainly corn and soybeans. My father, through those years, had purchased all 1,300 acres that our family owns — most of it is connected,” Bope said.

Bope’s daughter and son-in-law have started working on the farm full-time. With Bope’s grandkids being the fourth generation, there is a lot of optimism for how this family’s legacy will hold up and continue to care for the land.

Initially, there was some skepticism in the Bope family about leasing their land to Doral Renewables. After several conversations, an agreement was reached between both sides for the solar project.

“For most farmers or ranchers, generational farming or ranching is probably the desire for all of us,” Bope said. “When Doral actually approached us about leasing our land for the solar project, it was a hard no from my dad because he was a row crop farmer his whole life. He was in his 80’s at the time, and today he’s 92 and still farms full-time with us, but all you know at that age is everything you have been doing. We told them, ‘We would be interested in leasing some of our property to you if we could raise sheep or be a part of the vegetation management by raising sheep.’ Nick Cohen, the CEO of the company, agreed and we signed a lease with them.”

The relationship between Doral Renewables and the Bope family has remained strong since both sides came together. For Bope, this process is about ensuring the family farm can remain in the family for generations to come. 

“One of the things about working with Doral is that we still can have our ups and downs, but we still have what I call a base amount that we are going to get in every year,” Bope said. “That’s security for the next generation. It’s a 30-year contract. I’m 57, so I’ll be 87 years old before I need to worry about whether the next generation can stay on the farm. If my daughter and her husband want to remain years from now, they are going to be able to do that because of the foundation and income that is guaranteed by the company.”

Bope is most appreciative of how much assurance this partnership with Doral Renewables provides for the family farm.

“There is always adaptability in farming, from the weather to the prices,” Bope said. “Doral is a power company, but they have been open to the agricultural uses of the land. When I talk to other landowners or farmers who are considering getting into a project, I always tell them it’s a generational blessing, and it can bring generational wealth.”

While farming will always be a part of Bope’s DNA, he looks forward to the day that he will be able to put the farm in the hands of his children and allow them to continue the tradition for as long as the family desires.

“When we entered this project, we sat down with my daughter and son-in-law. My daughter is 25, and my son-in-law will be 30 this year. We said, ‘Hey, we’re going to give you five hard years of us working as your parents, mom and dad, carrying the financial burden of getting this thing going. In the next five years, we’re hoping to start turning things over to you.’ About 10 years from the project date, we want to have that in full hands of our children’s life, as our grandchildren approach their teenage years. I love working here, especially with the sheep. I love working with Doral, but our goal has been to work ourselves out of a job and set up the next generation to take the reins as soon as they’re able to.”

For more information on Doral Renewables, you can visit doral-llc.com.