Shell and Silicon Ranch to build solar project in Canada

“We are transforming Scotford into a world-class site that will provide our customers with lower-carbon fuels and the products they desire,” said Mark Pattenden, Shell Canada Senior Vice President, Chemicals and Products. “Partnerships like this will enable Scotford to contribute to Shell’s overall plan to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, in step with society.”

Silicon Ranch, the North American solar platform for Shell and one of the largest independent power producers in the United States, will build, own, and operate the solar farm - its first in Canada - with all power generation capacity dedicated to Shell’s Scotford refinery for the next 25 years.

“Today’s announcement represents a meaningful milestone for Silicon Ranch as we expand our operations into Canada,” said Reagan Farr, Silicon Ranch Co-Founder and CEO. “Shell’s commitment to purchase the power from our facility will catalyze our own significant capital investment in Strathcona County, creating hundreds of local jobs during construction and generating critical tax revenues over the life of the project. Silicon Ranch is proud to collaborate with our partners at Shell to advance the global energy transition to a net-zero planet, and we look forward to serving the Shell Scotford refinery and to becoming Alberta’s newest corporate citizen.”

The project will be the first large-scale solar installation in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland. Construction will begin in 2022, and the solar farm is expected to begin providing electricity to the refinery by the fourth quarter in 2023. Once built, the project will provide 20 per cent of the refinery’s energy needs with renewable electricity.

Shell’s transformation of Scotford into an energy and chemicals park complements the site’s leading positions in energy efficiency and carbon capture and storage (CCS). Renewable power and CCS will enable Scotford to process new feedstocks such as bio-oils or waste oils to significantly reduce CO2 emitted in the production of fuels today. Scotford’s transition into a fully integrated energy and chemicals park is anticipated to happen over the course of a decade.

Additional quote:

Rod Frank, Mayor, Strathcona County & Chair, Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association: “Strathcona County prides itself on being a champion for stakeholders who choose to invest here. This new project demonstrates that transformation and economic diversification is underway right here in Strathcona County’s world-scale energy cluster, which remains one of our top priorities.” 

Notes to editors

• Scotford is currently home to Canada’s most energy efficient refinery. The Scotford refinery uses 25 per cent less energy than the average Canadian refinery, according to the Solomon Energy Efficiency Index (EII)TM.
• Shell Canada previously built a 5-megawatt solar farm at Scotford that will start up this fall and offset emissions from the Shell-owned chemicals plants.

About Shell Canada

Shell has been operating in Canada for more than 100 years and remains committed to the country’s energy future. Shell’s footprint in Canada includes a 40% interest in LNG Canada; shale gas positions in British Columbia (Groundbirch) and shale gas and liquids positions in Alberta (Gold Creek); the Scotford Complex in Alberta, identified as one of Shell’s five high value energy and chemicals parks; investments in cleaner energy including the first waste to-low-carbon-fuels plant in Québec; and a growing Retail business with around 1,400 Shell-branded sites across Canada, among others.

About Silicon Ranch Corporation

Silicon Ranch is the North American solar platform for Shell and one of the largest independent power producers in the United States. The company has distinguished itself by pioneering new markets for utility-scale solar and has expanded its footprint with nearly 150 operating facilities across more than 15 states from New York to California. Silicon Ranch owns and operates every project in its portfolio and has maintained an unblemished track record of project execution, having successfully commissioned every project it has contracted in its history. In recognition of its holistic approach to land management, which the company has trademarked Regenerative Energy®, Silicon Ranch was named 2020’s “Most Forward-Thinking” company by Solar Power World. To learn more, visit siliconranch.com and follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

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