Case study July 2025
New Mexico
Tucked away in the New Mexico desert, a remote refinery site recently received a sustainable upgrade: 30 all-in-one solar lighting systems now illuminate its parking lot, with no trenching, wiring, or grid connections required.
The site is operated by a major American energy company with a long-standing presence in petroleum refining and an increasing focus on renewable initiatives. Since 2021, the company has purchased and deployed more than 100 solar lights from Sol across its Artesia operations, illuminating everything from parking lots to perimeter fences to processing units.
Power access is a frequent challenge at this company’s remote facilities, and the newly developed parking lot was no exception. With no electrical infrastructure in place and the possibility that the lot may be temporary, the site required a lighting solution that was fast to install and easy to relocate.
Solar proved to be a perfect fit. While the Capital Projects team had previously selected EverGen-M systems, this time they opted for Sol’s more compact, cost-effective iSSL Maxi 4. Designed with flat-mounted solar panels and a NiMH battery, the iSSL is well-suited to the region’s ample sun and fluctuating temperatures. And thanks to its all-in-one design, the system can be deployed quickly with minimal disruption—and moved just as easily if site needs change.
Sol’s team collaborated closely with the company to configure the lighting for optimal performance. That included not only product selection but light profile customization to match worker activity.
The lights were programmed with the M profile: 100% brightness for the first five hours of the night, 40% through the early morning hours, and a return to full output one hour before dawn. This smart scheduling supports visibility and safety when it’s needed most, while conserving energy during low-use periods.
The company evaluated multiple vendors before choosing Sol again, citing the team’s consultative approach and technical responsiveness. “Mathew provided a lot of information for us to make the decision,” said a Category Manager for Capital Projects. “He conducted multiple lighting calculations until a proposal was agreed by us.”
That collaboration made implementation simple. “The process was seamless,” the manager added. “Mathew and his coworkers are awesome.” Today, the parking lot is safe, visible, and completely off-grid—another successful deployment in a growing partnership.
