Rosendin has announced a breakthrough in solar construction technology with a new autonomous robotic solution for photovoltaic (PV) solar module installation.
Rosendin senior vice president, David Lincoln, said the innovative three-piece robotic system will transform utility-scale solar projects by tripling installation speeds, enhancing worker safety, and addressing the industry’s persistent staff shortage.
“We created a solution that will revolutionise the installation of renewable energy facilities worldwide by providing a safer, faster, repeatable, and more cost-effective means of deploying solar installations in remote locations,” Lincoln said.
“Countless hours have been spent developing and testing the technology at utility-scale solar facilities, resulting in a robotics system that will assist electricians and reduce the risk of workforce injuries while addressing the construction industry’s decades-long workforce shortage.”
Rosendin’s Renewable Energy Group (RREG) held a live demonstration at a construction site in west Texas, United States, earlier this month.
Field testing on a similar solar project in Danevang, Texas, achieved an installation rate equalling 350 to 400 modules per eight hour shift with a two man crew working collaboratively with the robots.
This is three times the rate of a standard three to four person crew installing modules manually.
The robots were developed by Rosendin in a partnership with ULC Technologies, a developer of robotic solutions within the energy industry.
The working prototype was built to withstand environmental elements including extreme temperatures, wind and rain, puddles and mud, and uneven and steep rocky terrain up to 30-degree incline.
The hybrid gas and battery-powered system includes a Panel Setting Robot featuring a tracked, construction-grade robotic platform with an integrated robotic arm and 9-vacuum suction cups to lift and place PV panels precisely.
Two Panel Carrying Robots work in tandem to transfer pallets of PV panels between the loading area and the installation point, eliminating downtime with a consistent supply.
These machines effortlessly handle PV panels weighing 100 lbs., while skilled electricians focus on critical grid connections to maximize efficiency and worker safety.
Lincoln said there are many applications for this technology.
“For example, using these robots, a developer can source new opportunities in geographical areas and markets that were previously considered too difficult to build,” he said.
“The next iteration could even use a central control and monitoring system to run several robotic teams simultaneously that will enhance worker and job site safety, improve logistics, and provide cloud-based installation and movement data.”
Over the past 15 years, Rosendin has delivered nearly 7GW of solar project installations in the U.S., Guam, and Puerto Rico, with more than 7GW in various stages of development and more than 2.5GW under construction.