Doral CEO: "We are working to establish energy islands for data centers"

"I don't think we will reach 30% renewable energy by 2030," said Yoni Hantzis, CEO of Doral Energy, in an interview with Calcalist deputy editor Roi Bergman at the Calcalist and Discount Energy Conference. According to him, the transition to large-scale renewable energy projects and the establishment of an electricity grid capable of absorbing them are essential conditions for increasing the share of renewable energy in the economy.

Hantzis also addressed Doral's expansion in the US and the surge in demand for electricity driven by data centers and artificial intelligence.

US Investments

Commenting on the recent deal to increase control over the company's US operations, Hantzis stated: "In the first half of 2026, 45 billion dollars were invested in solar projects in the United States. It is the second-largest market in the world after China. Given the successful platform built at Doral LLC, it was natural to increase our holdings in a company that ranks among the top 10 solar developers in the US."

Regarding concerns about power outages in US cities due to data center consumption, he noted: "It is a real fear. The intuitive solution is to create energy islands. Where there is consumption, you must provide production."

The Situation in Israel

Addressing transmission network challenges in Israel, Hantzis emphasized: "The grid is the basis for everything. The state must invest more and more in it. At Doral, we are not waiting: we are working to establish energy islands that will enable available and accessible electricity for data centers and prepare Israel for the next decade. We are building micro-grids, solar projects, and high-voltage and extra-high-voltage storage."

When asked about the attractiveness of the Israeli market, he added: "The Israeli market is a good market. There is a lot of sun here, excellent entrepreneurs, and Zionism is not a dirty word. Doral grew out of the settlement sector, and it is economically worth investing here."

Targets and Future

Hantzis noted that currently, renewable energy accounts for 17% of production. "New regulations recently came into effect, allowing for the establishment of solar projects and storage, and regulating the market through bilateral agreements. We are seeing consolidation and a shift to extra-high-voltage projects. One such project is equivalent to 20 high-voltage projects," he explained.

"I don't think we will reach 30% in 2030," Hantzis concluded. "The Electricity Authority talks about a target of 35% by 2035. If we start acting together, we will manage to get there."

Regarding how AI is changing Doral's business plan, he added: "It completely changes the company's DNA. We understand that the significant asset is the connection to electricity itself. We intend to be part of both the production side and the entrepreneurship side of data centers."