This week on a special Tuesday edition of Projects Weekly, the Hoosier State is in the solar spotlight. Doral Renewables has brought its 1.3 GW Mammoth Solar complex to full commercial operation in Indiana, energizing one of the largest solar sites in the U.S. Also in Indiana, Zelestra has closed on $350 million in financing for the Reclamation Solar Project, which will eventually assist Meta’s efforts in the Midwestern state. Further east, CleanChoice Energy has closed on $166 million for two solar projects in New York and Pennsylvania. Finishing off the solar financing spree, Denver-based Pivot Energy has closed on a $173 million term loan facility for a community solar portfolio comprising 51 projects in six states. In Illinois, Lightstar Renewables is advancing its 2100th Ave Solar Project, utilizing 30 acres of privately owned farmland. Finally, in Florida, Universal Orlando Resort’s newest theme park is getting a floating solar installation, courtesy of D3Energy. Keep reading for all the details!

CleanChoice Energy closes $166 million for two solar projects

Renewable energy developer CleanChoice Energy has secured more than $166 million in project financing and tax equity for a duo of solar projects in New York and Pennsylvania.

Totaling 55 MWdc between the two projects, the sites will have the output to power about 10,000 homes once complete, officials say. The company also expects both projects to reach full commercial operation during 2027, expanding CleanChoice’s operating portfolio by more than 50 MWdc in module capacity.

“Closing this project financing brings CleanChoice Energy one step closer to constructing these critically-needed solar projects in the Northeast,” says CleanChoice president Zoë Gamble. “We are focused on developing and operating sustainable generation that helps lower consumer cost, better the environment and deliver for our customers.”

Bright spot: Frederic Petit, co-head of Investec’s North American Energy & Infrastructure Finance business group, says this investment is “an important milestone” for CleanChoice. As the Washington, D.C.-based firm looks to bolster its portfolio in the eastern Midwest and lower Northeast, these two projects will serve as crucial lynchpins.

“This transaction highlights Investec’s commitment to supporting the development of high-quality renewable infrastructure assets across North America while demonstrating our continued expertise in providing tailored financing solutions for our clients.”

Universal Orlando’s newest park integrates floating solar project

Renewable energy developer D3Energy has successfully deployed its latest floating solar system at Universal Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida.

The fellow Floridian firm announced the energization of Universal’s new 1.4 MW floatovoltaic asset Oct. 6, adding that it now operates as part of the park’s larger renewable energy program. The project is one of three on-site solar installations across Epic Universe, which total 3.7 MW, and can generate up to 6.7 GWh of electricity every year.

“We’re proud to continue our relationship with Universal Orlando through a second floating solar project,” says D3Energy managing director Stetson Tchividjian. “Universal continues to lead the way in sustainability across the theme park industry, and it’s exciting to see floating solar integrated into one of the most innovative destinations in the world.”

Bright spot: With this installation, Epic Universe becomes the first theme park to achieve LEED Platinum certification under LEED for Communities: Plan and Design. The park’s new floating solar site will generate power for the Universal Orlando bus fleet, store excess energy in a battery system during the day, and fully charge the electric buses at night.

The installation also marks D3Energy’s second floating solar project for the Universal Orlando Resort campus, with its first reaching completion in 2021. The latest project “represents another high-profile application of floating solar at a major U.S. destination” for D3Energy, providing further proof of concept for the continued adoption of the technology nationwide.

Doral Renewables reaches full commercial operation of Mammoth Solar

Solar developer Doral Renewables has finished its largest project to date, company representatives say, as the firm fully energized its Mammoth Solar site Oct. 7.

Made up of three phases — Mammoth South, Mammoth Central I, and Mammoth Central II — the energization brings the 1.3 GW Mammoth Solar complex online. The 13,000-acre site in northwest Indiana is one of the largest operational solar project in the U.S. as a whole.

“Today is the culmination of true partnership between the Pulaski County community and Doral”, said Nick Cohen, President and CEO of Doral Renewables. “We started this project as a vision to bring a major economic development project to the county and an energy project to the state, and it grew beyond our wildest dreams. We are hoping to make this one of the leading dual-use sites in the country and further grow the partnership between Doral and local farmers.”

Bright spot: Doral Renewables built the three phases in about 18 months, employing 1,800 workers at the site every day, installing 20,000 panels per day during peak construction. Now at full operation, the company will explore “multiple partnerships” for the project’s large-scale dual-use practices, including agrivoltaics and farming activity inside the project area.

Indiana’s Secretary of Energy Suzanne Jaworowski says projects like this are critical to the Hoosier State’s wider economic development. With Doral’s development portfolio now comprising 22 GW of solar and storage, Mammoth Solar can be the firm’s crown jewel going forward, making up nearly 6% of the portfolio’s total capacity.

“In the world of economic development right now, every project is looking for speed to electrons. With demand for electricity skyrocketing, we need every electron we can get on the grid,” Jaworski says. “We want to create an energy infrastructure that will draw economic development and do it in a way that preserves our way of life and our agricultural environment. This project is a great example of that.”

Zelestra and Meta close on $350 million for 203 MW Reclamation Solar

Renewable energy firm Zelestra has reached $1 billion in project financing for 2026, closing on $350 million for the 203 MW Reclamation Solar Project in Indiana.

Built on former coal mining land, Reclamation Solar Project is yet another Zelestra project backed by a long-term power purchase agreement with tech giant Meta. The companies expect the 203 MW project to come online before the end of 2027, assisting the AI and social media firm and its efforts in the Crossroads of America.

“Passing $1 billion in US project financing this year is a milestone we are pleased to share with our lenders and our customers,” says Sybil Milo Cioffi, Zelestra’s CFO for the U.S. “Reclamation is a major project that will deliver many benefits to our customer, and to the wider community. We are pleased that CIBC, BBVA and Societe Generale are backing our ambition. These partnerships enable us to keep building at the pace this market needs.”

Bright spot: In addition to bringing Zelestra over the $1 billion line for American project financing in 2026, Reclamation Solar makes cleaner use of the land in the Hoosier State. Officials say the former coal mine project is expected to support about 200 jobs during peak construction.

Zelestra currently sports a platform of about 16 GW across “key U.S. markets,” representatives say.

Community solar and battery developer Lightstar Renewables has announced the construction advancement of the 2100th Ave Solar Project in Atlanta Township, a small town in Logan County, Illinois.

Developed in partnership with a local private landowner, the project will sit on about 30 acres of agricultural land and participate in the state’s community solar program. Subscribers across the Land of Lincoln will be able to save about 10% on electricity costs, while also creating local jobs and generating tax revenue for the county.

“Every Lightstar project starts with the land and the people who live around it,” says Kyle McAdam, senior development manager of Lightstar. “In Logan County, that means working closely with the landowner, protecting the wetland on the site, hiring local trades, and delivering real savings to local subscribers. That is the standard we hold ourselves to across Illinois.” 

Bright spot: Lightstar “completed a full slate of environmental and cultural studies” before advancing the project, officials say. Testing included a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, as well as a historical and cultural resources survey and endangered species consultations at the state and federal level.

The 2100th Ave Solar Project now adds to Lightstar’s ranks in Illinois, alongside other projects including the US Highway 136 Solar Project in Fulton County. Potentially interested landowners looking to assist the Bostonian firm’s efforts can contact the company about land leasing on its website.

Independent power producer Pivot Energy has closed on a $173 million term loan facility for a portfolio of 51 community solar projects, totaling 135 MWdc across six states.

First Citizens Bank, Huntington Bank, and BankUnited provided takeout financing, the company says. The financing refinances the projects from Pivot’s current construction warehouses, consolidates the firm’s first three portfolios under a single term structure.

“Closing our first term loan across a consolidated portfolio is an important step for Pivot,” says Pivot Energy CFO Bret Labadie. “We’re grateful to First Citizens, Huntington, and BankUnited, who have supported Pivot from the start. This financing gives us the flexibility to grow faster and deliver lasting value where our projects are built, from community investment and agrivoltaics to local jobs and economic development.

“As the electricity landscape becomes more complex, we’re proud to work alongside utilities, corporate energy buyers, and ratepayers to deliver local, reliable power that strengthens the grid.”

Bright spot: Additionally, the transaction frees up further capacity in Pivot’s revolving construction facility, supporting continued project construction. The company’s website states it currently sports a portfolio of about 4.3 GW of solar energy either developed or under development, with an estimated 900 projects currently in construction phases.

“First Citizens is pleased to continue building on our long-standing relationship with Pivot Energy,” says Mike Lorusso, head of First Citizens Bank’s energy finance business. “This financing reflects the strength and diversity of Pivot’s distributed solar portfolio, and we’re proud to support the company through its next stage of growth.”

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