📋 Case Study

Texas Permian Basin Solar-BESS Hybrid Site Decommissioning & Oilfield Soil Rehabilitation

Legacy hydrocarbon contamination (TPH >5,000 ppm) beneath racking and battery pads

🏗️ Project Overview

150 MW solar + 60 MWh BESS co-located on former oil lease land

🎯 Challenge

Legacy hydrocarbon contamination (TPH >5,000 ppm) beneath racking and battery pads

🔧 Design Approach

Thermal desorption (350°C) of top 1.2m soil; phytoremediation with Panicum virgatum; dual-use pad reuse for EV charging infrastructure

📐 Key Calculations

Thermal Desorption Energy Demand

Soil mass × specific heat × ΔT
Result: 2.8 GJ/m³
Validated against ASTM D7656

Phytoextraction Half-Life

ln(2) / uptake rate constant
Result: 18 months
Guides multi-year monitoring schedule

📊 Results

TPH reduced to <50 ppm; 94% solar racking reused for EV canopy; 100% BESS enclosure repurposed as microgrid control hub

💡 Lessons Learned

  • ASTM D7656 validation required pre-thermal treatment
  • Panicum virgatum must be inoculated with petroleum-degrading rhizobacteria
  • Dual-use infrastructure reuse triggered FERC Order No. 2222 interconnection benefits

Key Takeaways

  • 1ASTM D7656 validation required pre-thermal treatment
  • 2Panicum virgatum must be inoculated with petroleum-degrading rhizobacteria
  • 3Dual-use infrastructure reuse triggered FERC Order No. 2222 interconnection benefits