Par Pacific, Mitsubishi, Eneos to establish joint venture for hydrotreated biofuels in Hawaii

Par Hawaii's Kapolei refinery will be able to produce 61 mgy of renewable diesel, SAF, renewable naphtha and LPG. Commissioning of the unit is expected by end of year. (Photo: Par Pacific Holdings Inc.)

Par Pacific Holdings Inc. announced July 21 that it has signed definitive agreements with Mitsubishi Corp. and Eneos Corp. to establish Hawaii Renewables LLC, a joint venture to produce renewable fuels at Par Pacific’s refinery in Kapolei, Hawaii.

Mitsubishi and Eneos will form Alohi Renewable Energy LLC, which will acquire a 36.5 percent equity stake in Hawaii Renewables in exchange for cash consideration of $100 million.

Par Pacific will retain the remaining interest and lead the project’s execution and operations through its affiliate, Par Hawaii Refining LLC.

The project’s attractive capital cost along with its operating and distribution cost advantages are key differentiators, according to Par Pacific.

Hawaii Renewables will leverage Par Pacific’s existing refining and logistics infrastructure and Lutros LLC’s new pretreatment technology.

Construction is currently underway and the facility is expected to be completed and operational by the end of the year.

Once fully operational, Hawaii Renewables will be the state’s largest renewable fuels manufacturing facility and is expected to produce approximately 61 million gallons per year of renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), renewable naphtha and low-carbon liquified-petroleum gases.

The facility is designed to produce up to 60 percent SAF as a first step toward decarbonizing Hawaii’s significant air-travel market, with flexibility to process diverse feedstocks and shift yields to renewable diesel based on market conditions.

These renewable fuels will contribute to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions while providing reliable transportation and utility fuels to Hawaii consumers.

This strategic partnership will combine Par Pacific’s advantaged West Coast and Pacific asset base and operational capabilities with Mitsubishi’s global integrated business, including access to Mitsubishi’s Petro-Diamond Inc. Terminal in Long Beach, California, and global feedstock-procurement expertise.

As Japan's leading energy company, Eneos will strengthen the partnership by leveraging its historical success in fuel refining and trading across Asia-Pacific and North America.

“We are thrilled to partner with Mitsubishi and Eneos through the formation of this strategic joint venture,” said Will Monteleone, Par Pacific’s president and CEO. “Creating the Hawaii Renewables joint venture brings together the best of our three organizations and yields additional scale and expertise across feedstock origination, commercial optimization and market access throughout the Pacific Basin.”

Masaru Saito, an executive with Mitsubishi, added, “We are so honored to partner with Par Pacific in the renewable fuels business. We view this partnership as an important step for our SAF initiative, supporting aviation-sector decarbonization across Hawaii and beyond through our feedstock procurement and renewable fuels sales expertise.”

Marcus Echigoya, a senior vice president with Eneos, said, “We anticipate this project will deliver a stable supply of energy and contribute to a carbon-neutral society. Eneos aims to contribute to this initiative by utilizing our deep experience in fuel refining and marketing, with an emphasis on enhancing Hawaii Renewables’ feedstock-procurement capabilities.”

The closing of the joint-venture transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

Lazard served as financial advisor to Par Pacific on this transaction.