POWER Magazine honors 45-MW solar plant at Pine Bend refinery; system is largest direct-use solar facility in the U.S.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 7, 2024 — DEPCOM Power Inc. (DEPCOM), an integrated provider of engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) as well as operations and maintenance (O&M) services for the utility-scale solar and energy storage industries, joins Flint Hills Resources in accepting POWER Magazine’s Commercial and Industrial Generation Award for the Pine Bend solar project. The photovoltaic (PV) system is the largest installation for a single user in the U.S.
“This is an extraordinary project and exciting opportunity to demonstrate how solar can be seamlessly integrated into a large industrial facility with a high, consistent power demand, reliably and at a lower cost than conventional, retail power,” said Justin Bloch, DEPCOM Power’s president of solar. “While this may be the first project of its kind at this scale, it won’t be the last. Distributed solar generation is proving to be a competitive and reliable source of power for many energy-intensive industries.”
DEPCOM Power designed, procured, and built the $75 million PV plant in 2023; it connected the system directly to the refinery to lower energy costs, improve energy efficiency, and reduce emissions. Powered by 120,000 panels covering about 200 acres of a 350-acre site adjacent to the refinery, the system will generate approximately 92,000 MWh, enough to power more than 8,400 homes a year.
The solar facility has a peak capacity of roughly 30% of the refinery’s 135-MW power needs during optimal conditions, providing electricity during the day when energy costs are typically the most expensive. By merging solar power with an existing 50-MW combined heat and power system, the Pine Bend refinery has become one of America’s most energy-efficient fuel producers and has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR certification for the past five years.
“Pine Bend is already one of the most efficient refineries in the country, but we are always looking for ways to continuously transform our business,” said Jake Reint, Flint Hills’ vice president of public affairs. “As one of the largest-of-its-kind solar installations, this project is a bold and exciting opportunity to lower energy costs, improve our energy efficiency, and reduce emissions.”
About DEPCOM Power
DEPCOM Power, a Koch Engineered Solutions company, is an energy solutions partner for the utility solar and energy industries providing Project Development Support, Engineering, Procurement & Construction, Energy Storage, Repowering, and Operations & Maintenance services. DEPCOM Power leverages a highly experienced power team, technology-agnostic tier one equipment, and cost-effective solution delivery methods to provide optimum levels of agility, price, and quality. For more information about DEPCOM Power, please visit depcompower.com.
About Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery
The Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery produces transportation fuels used throughout the Midwest, including most of Minnesota’s gasoline, diesel fuel, and jet fuel, as well as other products people rely on such as propane and asphalt. Located 17 miles southeast of Minneapolis, Pine Bend has a refining capacity of 375,000 barrels per day and is among the most efficient and safest oil refineries in the country. Flint Hills Resources directly and indirectly supports more than 4,000 Minnesota jobs and has invested nearly $1.7 billion in upgrades and improvements to its Minnesota facilities since 2010. With 1,000 full-time employees, the Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery is one of the largest employers in Dakota County. More information about the Pine Bend refinery is available at PineBendRefinery.com.
