Leading the Field of Dual-Use Renewable Energy Production in Israel

The Company’s innovative activity in the field of dual-use combines advanced agriculture and solar energy within the same land area, side-by-side and one above the other. This approach reflects the understanding that the future will require us to preserve land for agricultural/food production even on land where solar facilities can be integrated. In this way, agro-voltaic (APV) projects address the issue of extensive land use for solar energy production while simultaneously providing added value for preserving green spaces and enhancing agriculture in Israel.

Through its unique approach, ‘Doral Agro’ implements a specialized technique whereby solar panels are strategically positioned at customized intervals between and above the crops, depending on the type of crop, allowing the plants to receive the required amount of sunlight while ensuring optimal electricity production. Remote control technology and sensitive sensors enable farmers to manage light/shade regimes, as well as smart crop management and real-time monitoring of field conditions such as humidity, temperature, soil salinity, and more. This technological integration allows for temperature regulation to prevent weather-related damage, protection during frost or heat waves, improvement of crop quality, and conservation of water resources, alongside an economic safety net of the profits from the solar project. ‘Doral Agro’ is suitable for crops such as table grapes, avocados, lychees, and deciduous fruits, certain field crops, and more. Doral’s expert team, including agronomists employed by the Company, selects the most suitable variety for a given land area.

Water savings are estimated at up to 30%¹, resulting from reduced water evaporation from the soil due to shading provided by the panels, thus requiring less irrigation for the fields. The dual-purpose integration on agricultural land offers a clear advantage by maximizing the benefits derived from both solar energy production and agricultural crop cultivation.

Doral manages its activities in this field with the vision of shared land resource use, providing mutual value to farmers, the environment, and Doral – improving agriculture, reducing environmental resource use, and promoting green energy production without using new, virgin land. Additionally, after a learning period and deepening knowledge in the field, Doral is transitioning from local activities in Kibbutz Revadim and other kibbutzim to strategic regional activities addressing the unique characteristics of agriculture, terrain, and climate conditions in each area.

Doral received the first construction permit in Israel for a commercial-scale agro-voltaic project, and in 2023, ‘Doral Agro’ agro-voltaic projects were established on approximately 400 dunams (about 99 acres). At the beginning of 2024, Doral-Agro entered three different large-scale regional projects. It also advises its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Europe on dual-use ventures.

¹ The water savings estimate is based on research conducted by the MIGAL Institute, carried out in a simulated agro-voltaic plum orchard in Ayelet HaShahar.

The agro-voltaic project in Indiana, U.S. focuses on grazing livestock (sheep, pigs, donkeys, and alpacas) within the project area as part of agricultural management. This activity serves as a substitute for the need to use mechanical equipment that emits pollutants or harmful pesticides to manage the agricultural area. Instead, farmers are encouraged to graze livestock as a routine practice. As of the date of publication of the report, grazing is conducted in the Indiana North project area (18,000 dunams, or 4,448 acres) using about 1,500 sheep. According to the work plan, grazing occurs in a different section each day, with the intention to increase the herd size to approximately 4,000 sheep.

Like many countries worldwide, Israel has set targets for renewable energy consumption. Land reserves in Israel are a limited and rare resource, necessitating notable solutions that can generate renewable energy while preserving the land. One solution is initiating and establishing dual-use land projects, such as solar projects on existing structures like rooftops, sheds, and interchanges, as well as on water reservoirs and agricultural plots.

Doral has solar dual-use projects established on water reservoirs and fishponds which have been connected to thepower grid since 2019. The latest project, connected to the power grid and producing green electricity, is the project at the Kibbutz Sa’ar reservoir, initiated and constructed by Doral’s subsidiary, ENCO (Energy Construction ENCO). ENCO is also in the advanced stages of planning and executing one of Israel’s largest and most innovative reservoir projects at the Kibbutz Nitzanim reservoirs. This project, initiated by Doral and Kibbutz Nitzanim, involves an investment of over 150 million ILS. This reservoir will be the first in Israel to feature an energy storage facility with a capacity of about 60 megawatt-hours alongside approximately 24 megawatts of floating solar power on the reservoir’s walls. This innovative dual-use project is expected to supply the annual average consumption equivalent to a city like Ashkelon for 25 years and contribute to meeting the Israeli government’s renewable energy production targets while preserving land reserves – an excellent example of dual-use!