Repsol's plans for giga-scale US clean energy build gains pace with Texas solar array online

Spanish oil giant Repsol has completed construction of its 637MW Frye solar project in Texas, an initial step toward becoming a significant player in the fast-growing US clean energy market.

Frye is the first of a three-project solar portfolio totaling 2.1GW under development in the top state electric power market. The others are Outpost (629MW) and Pinnington (825MW), which today would be the largest US solar array.

Frye has a long-term PPA with an unnamed customer for 89% of its nameplate capacity. About 67MW of the facility are not yet in operation.

“Repsol views completion of our largest US renewable facility to date as a major milestone that will contribute to our commitment to become a net-zero emissions company by 2050,” said Federico Toro, COO, low carbon generation North America. “Our growth ambition in this country is significant.”

Repsol entered the US clean energy market in 2021 through its 40% purchase of Chicago-based Hecate Energy, a leading independent solar and battery storage developer, which claims to have a 35GW pipeline across all major US power markets. Financial details were not disclosed.

Last September, Repsol paid $768m to acquire a 20GW portfolio of US energy storage, onshore wind, and wind projects from Houston-based ConnectGen. The deal marked Repsol’s entry into the US onshore wind sector.

“Thanks to these transactions, Repsol advances its objectives to geographically diversify its renewables business, complementing its capabilities, improving its portfolio and creating a solid platform with great growth potential,” the company said Tuesday.

By 2027, Repsol anticipates having as much as 4GW of grid-scale renewable generation in commercial operation, which today would be 13th among US capacity owners, according to American Clean Power Association, a national trade group.

Aside from Frye, Repsol operates the Jicarilla 1 and 2 solar arrays in New Mexico totaling 125MW and 20MW of battery storage.

Lucrative tax credits in the 2022 federal climate law have lured a multitude of foreign conventional energy and electric utility companies to enter and/or expand in the US clean power market, half of which is controlled by Canadian and European players.