Get the latest delivered to your inbox
Privacy Policy

Now Reading

Transformation: Why Flint Hills Resources' Pine Bend Refinery Is Looking to Solar

Transformation: Why Flint Hills Resources' Pine Bend Refinery Is Looking to Solar

Published 09-20-22

Submitted by Koch Industries

Zak Potratz in a wide field
Zak Potratz, the project engineering lead for the solar project, stands on the grounds at Flint Hills Resources' Pine Bend refinery that will soon hold more than 100,000 solar panels and generate 30% of the energy needed to power the refinery.

Flint Hills Resources is building the largest single user solar project in the United States at its Pine Bend refinery in Rosemount, Minnesota. That might seem unexpected at a facility that provides much of the Upper Midwest’s gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, but for company officials focused on making the facility as efficient as possible, the 45-megawatt solar installation made perfect sense.

“Pine Bend is already one of the most efficient refineries in the country, if not the world, but we are always looking for ways to continuously transform our business,” says 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.”

The project will sit on more than 300 acres of land next to the facility.

Flint Hills Resources will also plant native flowers and grasses around the solar project to create what’s known as a pollinator prairie. The plants will provide a valuable habitat for insects, such as the monarch butterfly and the rusty patched bumble bee.

It will include more than 100,000 individual panels and at peak capacity will be able to supply Pine Bend with almost 30% of its power needs. Add that to the power generated by the facility’s recently completed Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system and nearly 70% of the facility’s power needs will come from highly efficient onsite energy generation.

Jake said the refinery is always trying to improve its performance and its ability to efficiently produce the transportation fuels the world needs. Since 2000, the Pine Bend refinery has reduced its traditional criteria emissions by 70%. It’s also reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 10% since 2010. And the facility has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® certification as one of the most efficient refineries in the country for three years in a row.

"Continuous imporvement is foundational to who we are as a company. We're committed to prioritizing the health, safety and environment of the communities we operate in."
Jake Reint, Flint Hills Resources Vice President of Public Affairs

The project will be planned, designed and built by DEPCOM Power, a recently acquired Koch Engineered Solutions company based in Scottsdale, Arizona, that specializes in solar projects.

As teams from Flint Hills and DEPCOM have worked together to plan this unique, first-of-its-kind project, they’ve been able to unlock mutual benefit for both companies.

“To be able to talk through and really understand what they’re doing and why they’re doing it left us feeling a lot more comfortable about what we’re going to be installing at the plant,” said Zak Potratz, a project engineering lead at Flint Hills.

DEPCOM project manager Dylan Rasmussen said working so closely with the power team at Flint Hills has helped them have a greater understanding of the unique needs of large industrial power users. It’s knowledge that will be invaluable as they begin to work with other large industrial companies interested in exploring the untapped benefits of similar solar projects.

“It’s good that we’ve been able to see how the Koch companies operate and share how our expertise in solar could be beneficial,” Dylan said. “It makes everything a lot more streamlined. We bring the solar expertise; they have the refinery expertise.”

The Pine Bend solar project is projected to be completed during the summer of 2023.

Koch Industries logo

Koch Industries

Koch Industries

Creating value. Transforming life.

Our life’s work is to help people improve their lives by making and innovating products and services our customers value. Our focus is on delivering mutual benefit: Win-win outcomes that make life better for customers and employees alike.

Based in Wichita, Kansas, Koch Industries is one of the largest private companies in America. A diverse set of businesses and industries across the world, we work together to keep improving and exploring new ways to make life even better.

Koch companies are involved in manufacturing, agriculture, pulp and paper, packaging, consumer products, building materials, glass, automotive components, refining, renewable energy, chemicals and polymers, electronics, enterprise software, data analytics, medical products, engineered technology, project services, recycling, supply chain and logistics, global commodities trading, and investments. Since 2003, Koch companies have invested more than $150 billion in growth and improvements. With a presence in about 60 countries, Koch companies employ more than 120,000 people worldwide, with about half of those in the United States.

Stewardship in all we do.

Our approach to Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) is different than most. We believe in people and seek a system of equal rights and mutual benefit where individuals succeed by helping others succeed – and where people are empowered to improve their lives and their communities. It’s why we focus on empowering individuals to improve their lives and communities through bottom-up solutions rather than top-down imperatives.

Environmental Stewardship

Consuming fewer resources, minimizing waste and constantly innovating to improve our manufacturing processes and performance is essential to the way we do business – benefiting our customers, employees, investors, communities and planet.

Five environmental stewardship priorities.

With more than 300 manufacturing sites across the United States – and about 100 more globally – we’re one of America’s largest manufacturers. Every day, across those sites, we strive to create more value, using fewer resources than the day before. We do it through constant improvement and innovation – both in the products we make and how we make them, and by managing our resources in a way that benefits our customers, employees, partners, community members and society.

  • Innovation
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Air Quality
  • Water
  • Responsible Resource Management

Social Stewardship

Philanthropy. Health and safety. Diversity and inclusion. Meaningful, rewarding careers and community outreach. These are just some of the vital priorities of social stewardship that empower each of our employees to develop, contribute, self-actualize and create value for the world while supporting communities in which we live.

Governance

Our management framework, Principle Based Management™, is based on proven principles of human progress and a deep appreciation for the dignity of every individual. Our private ownership, shared Vision, Values, compliance standards and oversight all help us focus on long-term value creation.

More from Koch Industries

Join today and get the latest delivered to your inbox