Photovoltaic panel installation machine

What is a solar installation robot?

The AES Corporation today announced the launch of Atlas, a new first-of-its-kind solar installation robot. Atlas represents a major advancement in solar energy technology, making it faster, more efficient and safer to construct new solar facilities.

How does a robot install solar panels?

Suction cups grip the glass face of the solar panels and the arm swings them into place, guided by cameras that give the robot a three-dimensional view of the scene. The robot’s limitations give a glimpse of how hard it’s going to be to completely automate the installation process.

Which companies automate the construction of solar farms?

Other vendors automating the construction of solar farms include Sarcos and AES. Both companies deploy specialized vehicles with robotic arms to automate module transportation and installation. Watch AES ’ Atlas solar robot at work below.

What is a polycrystalline solar panel?

Polycrystalline panels are a lighter blue hue, the cheaper and less efficient option. Generating rooftop solar energy is a simple process in which solar panels convert sunlight into direct current (DC) power that can be delivered to a home's power system. However, most homes and businesses are wired to use alternating current (AC) power.

How is a solar farm built?

The structural foundation of a large solar farm is built by driving tens of thousands of heavy steel beams into the soil, each of which must be accurately pounded into the ground at depths of up to eight feet. It’s a construction step at the core of almost every large solar project (with the exception of Erthos’ ground-mounted solar panels).

Can robots install ground-mounted solar panels?

Now companies such as PV Kraftwerker and Gehrlicher in Germany are developing mobile robots that can automatically install ground-mounted solar panels day and night, in all sorts of weather. PV Kraftwerker’s robot is designed to assemble power-plant-grade solar panels, which are four times the size of the ones you’d see on a home.