To set right the installer shortage, a US startup has developed robotic technology

To accelerate building solar facilities a robotic technology is introduced

The maker of industrial robotic equipment, Sarcos, has created a method to speed up and automate the building of huge solar facilities.

The Outdoor Autonomous Manipulation of Photovoltaic Panels (O-AMPP) project, financed by the US Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office, just saw the final validation of the US company's prototype solution. The precise location of the experimental installation was not made known.

“The solar construction industry is facing unprecedented labor shortages while simultaneously facing an increase in demand for solar energy,” said Trent Mostaert, vice president of industrialization at construction engineering company Mortenson, a partner in the O-AMPP project. “We believe the O-AMPP system can address these challenges while improving safety, productivity, and efficiency for our workers. It will also enable solar project developers to scale output and production to the levels needed to achieve the Energy Department’s 2030 and 2050 renewable energy goals.”

The autonomous working vehicle (AWV) and autonomous delivery vehicle (ADV) that make up the proof-of-concept robotic system are both equipped with Sarcos' Guardian XM robotic arm. Cameras are used as part of the solution to determine where PV panels should be put. Using a hoover system, the robotic arm independently raises the panel and positions it roughly where it needs to be attached to the mounting structure.

The tracker system utilized in the pilot project was provided by Array Technologies. Other business partners in the industry included Mortenson, Pratt Miller, and the manufacturers of equipment JLG Industries and automobiles.