American Refining Group to receive more than 90% of its total electrical load from the new system which will prevent dangerous, costly disruptions
BRADFORD, Penn.– Unison Energy, an Energy-as-a-Service provider of on-site power generation for critical infrastructure facilities, and the American Refining Group (ARG), a leading specialty oil refiner, have begun construction on a microgrid at ARG’s refinery in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Once complete, the system will provide more than 90% of ARG’s total electrical load. Unison will build, own, maintain and operate the combined heat and power microgrid which will increase reliability and prevent power outages at the refinery.
ARG believes that the grid has not provided sufficient reliability to the company’s Bradford, Pennsylvania refinery for more than a decade. Even brief outages disrupt operations and introduce safety risks for the company’s 340 employees. The company estimates that these interruptions result in millions of dollars in losses each year.
“We are excited to partner with American Refining Group and thank them for trusting us to provide the electricity they need to safely and reliably operate,” said Mariko Meier, CEO of Unison Energy. “Grid power outages can threaten the safety of the company’s hardworking employees and cost the company financially, and Unison’s microgrids are designed to maximize reliability on-site. Our team is excited to get to work solving this problem for ARG by creating a microgrid that’s safer, more reliable, and more efficient.”
“We’re proud to partner with Unison on this microgrid system, which we believe will enhance reliability, protect our workforce, and strengthen our financial performance,” said Brian Zolkos, Chief Financial Officer of American Refining Group. “Even a momentary loss of power introduces operational risk and disrupts our ability to serve customers. This system will significantly reduce those risks, and we look forward to bringing it online.”
American Refining Group operates the oldest continuously running oil refinery in North America. The company processes light sweet paraffinic crude into high-quality base oils, solvents, waxes, fuels, and other specialty products, with most of its crude sourced from Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, and West Virginia. The company also blends and packages lubricants at its Bradford location.
The new microgrid will be capable of islanding, which means that it can provide power independently from the grid when the grid is experiencing minor power disruptions.
Additionally, the heat generated by the microgrid will be captured and used to preheat water for the company’s steam boilers, leading to more efficient operations. As a result of these efficiencies and their associated positive effects on energy usage and emissions, the project qualifies for federal and state tax incentives including the federal Investment Tax Credit created by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The system will receive a 30% base Investment Tax Credit and an additional 10% credit because Bradford is a qualifying energy community. The project also qualifies for credits from Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act.
About Unison Energy
Unison Energy provides turnkey energy solutions underpinned by long-term fixed price contracts with investment grade counterparties with no commodity exposure. The Company designs, builds, owns, and operates microgrids on-site for critical infrastructure facilities including hospitals, data centers, food & beverage and other industrial, supply chain logistics, and hospitality customers in North America. Unison Energy is headquartered in Greenwich, CT. For more information, please visit www.unisonenergy.com.
About American Refining Group:
Originally founded as the Bradford Oil Refinery in 1881, the Bradford, Pennsylvania refinery is the longest continuously operating specialty refinery in North America. Since its acquisition by ARG in 1997, the refinery has expanded its rated capacity to 11,000 barrels per day and currently employs more than 340 hardworking employees. ARG offers more than 120 products and serves the specialty refined products needs of numerous industries. ARG products are distributed throughout the US and internationally.
https://unisonenergy.com/resources/newsroom/unison-energy-begins-construction-of-microgrid-for-american-refining-group/
Bradford, Pa. – American Refining Group (ARG) is pleased to showcase our Kendex® 0834, Heavy Resin as an exceptional product offering unrivaled performance in industrial lubricant applications and beyond. A paraffinic resin, Kendex 0834 offers enhanced protection, reliability, and versatility in a broad range of uses due to its high viscosity and shear stability.
“Our resin is unlike others because of the type of crude oil we refine,” states Mike Kozminski, Vice President of Research and Development at ARG. Originating from specially selected Penn Grade crude oil, Kendex 0834 is well-known for exceptional quality. In fact, Kendex 0834 is a high viscosity paraffinic resin that continues to be refined from light sweet paraffinic crude oils that do not contain an appreciable level of asphaltenes. As a high-viscosity Newtonian fluid it provides superior film thickness and will not undergo permanent shear loss in boundary lubrication regimes and therefore maintains constant viscosity across varying shear rates.
“Because it is naturally paraffinic, the Kendex 0834 is an excellent viscosity builder in lubricant formulations such as Industrial Gear Oils, open gear compounds, wire rope lubricants, greases, and other industrial lubricant applications” notes Kozminski.
When used in a variety of quench oil applications including fast and medium quench oils, the Kendex 0834 ingredient serves to accelerate the vapor to boiling phase in the quenching process. In addition to lubricant and grease applications, it also provides some unique attributes in roofing asphalt with improved ductility, durability, and weatherability. The paraffinic nature of the Kendex 0834 also serves as a moisture barrier ingredient in products formulated for underground use and other barrier-type functions. It passes Method IP 346 testing for dermal carcinogenicity of base oils and is therefore non-carcinogenic.
Kendex 0834 has a long and proven performance history over many generations. Over the course of the long history of Kendex 0834 it has been referred to by many different names including: Penn (Pennsylvania) Resins, 2600 SUS Resin, and Heavy Resins.
Available in 55-gallon steel drums, along with bulk shipments in trucks, railcars and ISOtainers, it is REACH registered for imports to Europe, and available for purchase worldwide. ARG’s top-notch sales and customer service teams can easily support shipment both domestically and internationally.
For more information go to https://www.amref.com/landing-page/arg-kendex-0834/.
American Refining Group – Our Legacy Fund
Photo: Pictured Brian Fernandes-Halloran, Halloran Philanthropies, John Landes, ARG-OLF Board of Directors, Ed Dallenbach, ARG-OLF Board of Directors, Korie Dixon, Scholarship Recipient, Tiffany Boschert, Executive Director of the McKean County Community Foundation and Keli Rounsville, ARG-OLF Board of Directors.
The American Refining Group – Our Legacy Fund formerly known as the Harry J. Halloran Bradford Prosperity Fund is pleased to announce the winner of their scholarship contest administered by the McKean County Community Foundation (MCCF). This year, the scholarship criteria were uniquely revised to give applicants the opportunity to rename the fund, and further promote the vision of Mr. Halloran.
Korie Dixon, a graduate of Bradford Area High School, is the recipient of the $500.00 scholarship and receives credit for the visionary name change. During a reception in her honor, Ms. Dixon explained that the idea for the name came after conducting research and reading books about ARG, including materials about Harry J. Halloran himself. The committee selected Korie’s essay for its depth of research and exceptional writing. The “legacy” theme she aptly refers to, is a cornerstone of the ARG’s business model which relies heavily on legacy crude barrels from the Pennsylvania oil fields, as well as the notion of keeping the refinery sustainable in the Bradford community for years to come.
Mr. Harry Halloran Jr. and his family, along with ARG employees, remain committed to keeping dollars local and giving back to the community.
As the owner of American Refining Group, Harry Halloran was not just a businessperson but also a philanthropist. He is revered by American Refining Group (ARG), which continues his legacy of charitable giving through enterprises including Halloran Philanthropies which is overseen by son Brian Hernandez-Halloran. To assist in that venture, Halloran Philanthropies recently established an employee advisory committee within ARG to provide oversight for the distribution of charitable funds across the local community.
In its developmental stages, the committee has already done extensive work to establish bylaws and other operating parameters. Their goal is to support and empower non-profit organizations in McKean County through strategic financial contribution. The mission is to foster impactful social change, advance equity, encourage sustainability within the community and identify unmet needs for the community. By partnering with other non-profits that demonstrate effective solutions to critical issues it can create long-lasting positive impact toward progress and growth.
The McKean County Community Foundation is one of such partners. The MCCF focuses on serving as a conduit between the various sources of funding and those in need. They provide administrative and investment management services that make it easy for donors to accomplish their charitable wishes by establishing donor advised, scholarships, and other types of funds at the Foundation. The Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies is the parent company of the McKean County Community Foundation and the Elk County Community Foundation. For more information, please contact the Community Foundation at 844-238-2289.
Students looking for financial support for post-secondary education, can apply for the American Refinery Group – Our Legacy Fund scholarship on the MCCF website: www.mckeancountyfoundation.org. For detailed information go to the “Scholarships/Information for Students” section. Applicants will need to create an account on the online portal and follow the instructions to complete their application. Students who receive a scholarship award from the Community Foundation may also qualify for matching dollars through PHEAA and the PATH program if they attend a PA school and have unmet financial need.
