The U.S. Wants to Triple Its Solar Panels. To Reach Its Goal, It Has a Brilliant Idea: Using an Army of Robots

The world is currently focused on creating large solar parks. China is leading the way with a solar farm twice the size of Manhattan, and the U.S. doesn’t want to be left behind. States like California are also carrying out significant efforts in solar energy production (and actually producing too much). Meanwhile, Texas, which has always been an oil giant, is now also betting on solar energy.

Worldwide forecasts indicate that thousands of additional solar panels will be installed in the near future, although the goal faces a major problem: the lack of manpower. One proposed solution to this issue is the development of a robot designed specifically for the task of installing solar panels.

Meet Maximo. AES Corporation, a company dedicated to promoting the development of renewable energies for several decades, has created a robot named Maximo. This highly specialized robot is designed specifically for the task of loading and installing photovoltaic panels on the rails within solar parks.

Maximo works tirelessly without a break alongside supervising operators to expedite the delivery of solar energy to customers and is capable of functioning in diverse climates and lighting conditions.

Powered by AI, of course. Maximo uses an artificial intelligence system, along with installed sensors, to achieve a high level of autonomy. According to AES, these are Maximo’s AI features, which are powered by Nvidia technology:

• Computer vision: This feature ensures precise panel positioning.
• Continuous learning: The AI adapts to maximize performance and improve operational efficiency.
• Image reconstruction: The system uses generative AI to help sensors “read” the terrain in challenging lighting conditions. This includes low-light situations and dealing with glare caused by light reflecting off the panels.

Deise Yumi Asami, the founder of the Maximo project at AES, said that “one of the biggest issues we had to deal with was glare,” particularly when the robot was moved from New York to Ohio. The system had to be trained to mitigate the impact of glare resulting from the change in the angle of incoming light.

It’s already operational. In tests, Maximo managed to install nearly 10 MW of solar power, and the goal is to install 100 MW by 2025. Despite not looking like much of a robot, the aim is for Maximo to assist in installing 5 GW over the next three years. After a period of development and testing, it’ll begin operating on the Bellefield project in August.

The Bellefield project is one of the largest solar projects in the U.S.: a 2 GW field located in Kern County, California that has a contract with Amazon. Additionally, Maximo has already been tested in another Amazon project: the Oak Ridge Solar project in Louisiana.

You can see Maximo in action in this video:

Essential, according to AES. The company says, “Maximo is the first proven solar installation robot on the market,” aiming to solve the problem of manpower in the growing demand for solar panel installation. Currently, the U.S. estimates that 15,000 solar modules per hour, weighing 225,000 tons, are being installed. The goal for 2035 is to increase this to 50,000 modules per hour, tripling the amount of energy added and doubling the required workforce.

However, there’s an issue: 90% of solar companies claim they’re facing challenges in finding a qualified workforce. This is where robots like Maximo come in, positioning themselves as the future of the sector. The consumption of end-users as well as data centers and servers are driving the increasing demand for solar farms. This is especially the case with the rise of AI, which requires a significant amount of electricity. For example, companies like Google and Microsoft already consume more electricity than 100 different countries.

Are the robots taking over our jobs? Another concern is the popularity of the robot and the opinion of the workforce. Currently, it takes 12 to 18 months to construct a large solar farm, but AES wants Maximo to significantly reduce that timeframe. There are other robots working in the parks, like Built Robotics’ RPD 35, which is responsible for driving piles where the plate rails will go. This task typically requires six or seven employees, but with the RPD 35 and two workers, the company claims it can complete the task three times faster.

Regarding Maximo, we’ll need to wait and see how much it accelerates construction. However, considering that it can work 24 hours a day without a break and effortlessly lift 80-pound panels, it's natural to ask whether this automation will eliminate jobs.

As Katie Harris, vice president of BlueGreen Alliance, an association of labor unions and environmental groups, told The New York Times: “Whenever automation comes up, there’s always this push and pull. It can help folks be more productive, but we also want to create good-paying union jobs, and automation isn’t always a friend there.”

This article was written by Alejandro Alcolea and originally published in Spanish on Xataka.

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