International company completes 1 million solar panel plant near Kress

An international energy company has completed its largest solar energy plant near Kress, with almost one million panels the company announce this month.

Repsol, a global multi-energy company in Spain, the United States, Chile, Italy and Portugal, finished the Frye Solar project in Swisher County on Thursday, April 11. The project has an installed capacity of 637 megawatts, and has 570 MW in operation, currently.

"Repsol views completion of our largest U.S. renewable facility to date as a major milestone that will con-tribute to our commitment to become a net-zero emissions company by 2050," said Federico Toro, Repsol's Chief Operating Officer (COO), Low Carbon Generation North America. “Our growth ambition in this country is significant.”

Repsol initially entered the U.S. renewable energy market in 2021 by purchasing 40% of Hecate Energy, a U.S. renewable energy development and storage company. In 2023, Repsol acquired ConnectGen, which had a 20,000 megawatt portfolio with onshore wind, solar and energy storage projects in the U.S.

Since then, Repsol's renewable installed and under development capacity in Texas totals at 2,091 MW. The company also generates electricity with solar plants in New Mexico. Repsol is committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, and aims to reach 9,000 MW and 10,000 MW of installed capacity by 2027. Of that goal, 30% will be in the U.S.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Repsol completes 1 million solar panel plant near Kress, Texas