Next* Magazine, Issue 4 - Chevron

Experts from different businesses withinChevron have been collaborating onProject Brightfield. Here, hydrogeologistLeslie Klinchuch (left) and formerpresident of Chevron EnvironmentalManagement Co. Janeen Judah inspectthe installation of solar panels.iesPHOTOS: DON STACYChevron looks for ways to meet theincreasing demand for energy notonly on a global scale but also ona regional scale, considering the energyresources available and the viability ofspecific technologies. Chevron’s ProjectBrightfield is a prime example. Located on aformer refinery site in southern California,this unique renewable power installation isdemonstrating a valuable new use for theland while testing the potential of promisingsolar technologies.The power of threeA collaborative team of three Chevroncompanies—Chevron Technology Ventures,Chevron Environmental Management Co.and Chevron Energy Solutions Co.—lookedat how it could make best use of some ofChevron’s existing assets. The team realizedthat former refinery sites or other repurposedlands might be suitable locations forrenewable facilities.One of the biggest hurdles for integratingrenewable technologies is finding an arealarge enough for a mid- to large-scale facility.The team identified four California sitesthat provided enough land mass and wereconducive to solar energy production. Theyselected a former refinery site in Bakersfield,California, close to Chevron’s Kern RiverField and near the local power grid.“When we looked at the land massavailable, we recognized an opportunity toexplore a renewable technology in a waythat hadn’t been done in our industry,”said Chevron Technology Ventures projectmanager Adam Williams.Seven of the bestThe team combined its expertise to design,build and operate a comprehensive researchand demonstration facility. With the phenomenalgrowth and competition in the solarindustry over the past five years, the teamhad to find the best technologies and viablesuppliers. It narrowed its selection to sevenpromising, next-generation technologies fromamong hundreds.The five-year demonstration project coversabout 8 acres (3 ha), includes 7,700 solarpanels and produces about 740 kilowatts ofenergy that may be used to augment nearbyChevron oil production operations or be integratedinto the local power grid. The facilityincludes a station that monitors sun radiance,temperature, rain, wind and humidity to correlatetechnology performance with weather.Each provider can access data about its solartechnology, find out how well it performs invarious conditions and compare it against anindustry benchmark.Based on the demonstration, Chevron willdetermine whether it makes sense to integratethese technologies at other facilities and, if so,which technologies might prove more viable.“This facility allows us to make decisionsabout renewable technologies based on whatwe’re seeing firsthand,” said hydrogeologistLeslie Klinchuch, with Chevron EnvironmentalManagement Co. “Installation factors, technologyperformance, and durability will helpus determine whether we can make evenbetter use of other remediation sites.” ■Please see the video at Chevron.com/Next/Brightfield.Next* | 43