Leading provider of advanced robotic systems Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation today announced that it has completed the final validation of its system Project for autonomous manipulation of outdoor photovoltaic panels (O-AMPP).. During the field trial, Sarcos collaborated with leading companies involved in the renewable energy industry, including Mortenson, JLG Industries, Array Technologies and Pratt Miller, to achieve this critical milestone at a Mortenson project site, which will provide the Sarcos solution for the validated robotic solar field construction.
“Achieving this milestone in market validation and field testing is a critical step toward commercializing our robotic solution for solar field construction and, ultimately, improving safety and productivity in the solar field construction industry,” Kiva said Allgood, President and CEO of Sarco’s.
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), annual solar installations must increase by 60% between now and 2030 to meet the Biden administration’s target for solar energy to reach 30% of US electricity generation in 2030. SEIA estimates that the sector needs to expand its workforce by almost 900,000 new employees to achieve this goal.
Given the current labor shortages (approximately 230,000 workers were employed in the US solar industry in 2020) and the high labor intensity of solar installation processes, the solar field construction market demands urgent and innovative solutions to address the constraints to meet the increasing demand for solar energy. . Robot technology is expected to play a crucial role in addressing the problems and accelerating the deployment of solar energy.
“We believe the O-AMPP system can address these challenges while improving safety, productivity and efficiency for our employees. It will also enable solar project developers to scale up output and production to the levels needed to achieve the Energy Department’s 2030 and 2050 renewable energy targets. objectives We are excited about the possibilities and potential impact of the O-AMPP system in solar construction,” said Trent Mostaert, Vice President Industrialization at Mortenson.
The O-AMPP project, which began in 2021 with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), aims to streamline the process of deploying solar fields into one harmonized robotic system for delivering, sensing, lifting and installing PV systems. modules in the field. The benefits for energy companies that implement the solar construction system include lower soft costs for projects, the ability to handle more projects simultaneously, improved construction timelines and quality, and a safer workplace that reduces the risk of injuries including lifting and fatigue-related injuries. injuries.
During the validation of this system, a proof-of-concept O-AMPP system was used, consisting of an Autonomous Working Vehicle (AWV) with the Guardian® modules from delivery to installation.
Sarcos expects to commercially launch its robotic solution for solar field construction in 2024.
