Robotics Firm Receives Funding to Reduce Solar Project Costs in Australia
A robotics company based in the US has become the inaugural beneficiary of a $100 million initiative from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) aimed at supporting cutting-edge technologies that can significantly reduce the costs associated with large-scale solar project construction.
The Boston-based firm, Luminous, is set to receive $4.9 million from ARENA’s Solar ScaleUp Challenge. This funding will be utilised to showcase their Lumi robot, an AI-driven, “empathy-first” machine designed to assist in the “pick and place” of solar panels during installation.
Introducing Lumi: The Future of Solar Panel Installation
Lumi is a four-wheeled robot equipped with a robotic arm, provided by Swiss company Stäubli Robotics. Its developers assert that it can grasp and position solar modules with millimetre-level precision, thereby minimising manual labour and speeding up the installation process.
While onsite workers are still needed to secure the panels, Lumi handles the heavy lifting, regardless of the weather conditions or terrain challenges.
A Customer-Centric Approach to Technology
Luminous prides itself on its “empathy-first” philosophy, positioning itself as a “customer-first” rather than a “tech-first” company. They leverage technology to enhance scalability and reduce risks.
“Lumi is more than just a robot – it embodies our experiences with each crew member, the lessons learned from manually moving modules, and our team’s shared understanding of the challenges our technology aims to address,” stated Jay M. Wong, CEO of Luminous, on the company’s website.
Wong further explained, “Lumi’s innovation stems from empathy, merging human connection with cutting-edge technology. We aspire for Lumi to be embraced and to empower humanity in constructing a sustainable future.”
Efficiency and Integration
Luminous claims that the Lumi robot can facilitate the installation of solar panels up to 3.5 times quicker than traditional methods. Notably, Lumi requires no onsite integration or changes to existing processes, as it is designed to seamlessly fit into current construction practices.
The funding from ARENA will enable the deployment of a fleet of five Lumi robots at two solar projects, commencing with the recently completed 440MW Neoen Culcairn solar farm in New South Wales. Here, the AI will learn and evaluate the layout of completed solar farms and explore potential applications.
The selection of Culcairn is particularly noteworthy, as the site has previously collaborated with a Chinese robotics firm for solar panel installation, as reported earlier.
Future Deployments and Goals
Following their deployment at Culcairn, the Lumi robots will assist with solar panel installation at Engie’s 250MW Goorambat East solar project in Victoria, which is also experimenting with robots to enhance pile driving, supported by another ARENA-funded initiative.
“With Lumi, we’re not merely introducing a robot – we aim to redefine the standards for solar farm construction, enabling sites to become operational more swiftly and safely,” Wong remarked.
“Utilising our Lumi fleet in Australia will allow us to gather essential data, performance insights, and real-world impacts necessary for promoting global adoption – the scale and transformation we envisioned when founding Luminous.”
ARENA’s Commitment to Solar Innovation
ARENA’s backing of Lumi represents the latest step in the agency’s ongoing support for Australia’s solar photovoltaic (PV) sector, having invested over $388 million in more than 200 solar research and development projects since 2009.
“ARENA has set an ambitious target to reduce the installed cost of solar to 30 cents per watt and to bring the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) below $20 per megawatt hour,” commented Darren Miller, CEO of ARENA.
“These targets are crucial, as achieving these costs will establish solar as the cornerstone of Australia’s renewable energy future.”
“To reach net zero, Australia will require vast amounts of solar power at exceptionally low costs. We have already demonstrated our capability to manufacture advanced technologies; now is the time to apply that expertise to solar PV, a key element of the nation’s clean energy future.”
“Innovations like Lumi are vital for reducing costs and ensuring Australia maintains its leadership in the development and innovation of solar technologies. The Solar ScaleUp Challenge has united local and global innovators to collaborate and discover groundbreaking solutions to transform the solar industry. This project exemplifies that ingenuity.”
