The Frye Solar Project is a utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) power facility located in Kress, Texas. It has an installed capacity of 637 MW and was commissioned in phases since 2022 until 2024. Currently, the project has 570 MW operational status and forms part of Repsol’s expanding renewable energy portfolio in Texas and the United States as it has been recently joined by the 629 MW Outpost Solar Facility that has officially started commercial operations this September.
Reported April 18, 2024 – Spanish oil major company Repsol has finished construction works on the Frye Solar Project. According to the company it is its largest PV plant to date. The Frye Solar Project has recently gone online with a capacity of 570MW of its overall 637MW that is operational-after the construction works were finished. However, Repsol did not reveal when the remaining capacity of 67MW would be brought online.
Repsol has deployed approximately 1,000,000 solar modules for the project, though it also did not reveal the technology, configuration or the supplier behind these modules.
Frye Solar Project Factsheet
Location: Kress, Swisher County, Texas
Installed Capacity: 637 MW
Operational Capacity: 570 MW
Developer: Repsol S.A.
Operator: Hecate Energy
Panel Count: Approximately 1 million panels
Power Purchase Agreement: Long-term agreement for 89% of output
Commissioning Year: 2024
Grid Connection: ERCOT
Capacity of the Frye Solar Project in Texas
This site has a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) that is currently in place for 89% (approximately 566 megawatts) of the overall output of the solar project. As with the remaining 67 MW capacity, Repsol didn’t also reveal who the beneficiary of the PPA was.
In 2021, Repsol increased its long-term targets that they hoped to achieve for renewable projects development. Currently, Repsol has a target capacity of 20GW of deployed projects by the year 2030.
Much of the solar capacity of the company has been back in its motherland, Spain. In July 2023, the company managed to secure $614 million from European Investment Bank (EIB). This was to be utilized for the support of 1.1GW renewables in the country of Spain. Additionally, the company also signed a supply agreement with the Spanish solar tracker producer Soltec for up to 300MW of Spanish projects.
Other Similar Projects
In May 2023, Repsol also managed to power up phase I of 596 MW Chilean PV plant via a partnership with the renewables company Ibereólica Renovables Group. Repsol also announced its plan for a 825MW solar PV in Italy in the same month.
Additionally, Repsol’s Q4 2023 financial results posted $1,276 million in adjusted income. $17.08 million of this amount was generated from renewable energy generation (approximately 1.3% of this total income).
Other renewable energy facilities that have been installed by Respol are the 629MW Outpost facility, and the 825MW Pinnington facility.
Moreover, the company is already generating renewable electricity at its solar power plants. These are in Mexico (Jicarilla & 2), which have an installed capacity of 125 MW and 20MW of battery storage capacity. Repsol entered the US market with the acquisition of Quantum Capital Group’s ConnectGen in 2023.
In September 2023, Repsol acquired ConnectGen‘s 20,000 megawatt project portfolio. This portfolio includes onshore wind, solar, and energy storage projects in the U.S. The acquisition marked Repsol’s entry into the U.S. onshore wind business. Thanks to these transactions, Repsol continues expand its advances through its objectives to geographically diversify its renewables business. This complements its capabilities, improves its portfolio and creates a solid platform with great growth potential.
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