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Maximo, a new robotic solution for the solar power industry, has been unveiled by AES Corp., promising to significantly reduce both the cost and time required for solar panel installations. As the demand for renewable energy surges, fueled by the expansion of data centers and artificial intelligence, the introduction of such innovative technologies is seen as a crucial factor in enhancing efficiency in the sector.
Andrés Gluski, the president and CEO of AES, asserts, “Maximo is the first proven solar-installation robot on the market.” He emphasized that as demand escalates, innovations like Maximo will be essential for optimizing project completion speeds and operational effectiveness.
Established in 1981, AES Corp. has a history of operating power facilities globally. The company has a notable commitment to sustainability, having launched a carbon-offset initiative in 1989 that involved planting trees in Guatemala to counterbalance emissions generated by a facility in Connecticut. In addition to traditional energy sources, AES has diversified its portfolio to include various renewable energy options.
Solar Panel Installations on the Rise
The International Energy Agency anticipates that by 2035, solar energy installations will increase threefold, necessitating a nearly twofold expansion of the workforce dedicated to solar energy projects. Currently, the U.S. solar industry is installing approximately 15,000 solar panels hourly—equivalent to 1 million pounds of solar panels—and aims to scale up to 50,000 panels per hour within a decade.
Chris Shelton, AES’s chief product officer, noted the swift growth in solar installations and expressed plans to enhance this rate through the integration of Maximo. The robot is expected to collaborate with human teams, executing installations at half the cost and duration of conventional methods, thus expediting energy delivery for clients.
Deise Yumi Asami, founder of AES, highlighted that “the demand for clean energy continues to grow.” She stated that Maximo leverages cutting-edge technology to ensure installations are both efficient and precise, even in challenging outdoor settings.
Enhancing Safety and Efficiency with Maximo
Maximo has been designed to improve the safety and scalability of solar panel installations by automating heavy lifting tasks associated with the placement and securing of solar modules. Key features include:
AI-Powered Computer Vision: This technology guarantees accurate panel positioning, enhancing installation quality.
Continuous Learning: The robot can adjust its operations to maintain optimal performance over time.
Image Reconstruction: A specialized generative AI system enables the robot to reconstruct views hindered by glare or poor lighting conditions.
AES asserts that Maximo will not only speed up project timelines but also create advanced job opportunities for the workforce, helping individuals develop AI skills and adapt to new technologies. The robot has already successfully installed approximately 10 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity, with goals to reach 100 MW by 2025, as AES anticipates utilizing Maximo to address a substantial portion of its solar project backlog.
Strategic AES Deployments for Amazon
The company plans to deploy Maximo at the Bellefield project, a 2 gigawatt (GW) solar facility located in Kern County, California. This project, which represents the largest solar-plus-storage initiative in the U.S., includes 1 GW generated from solar panels along with an equal capacity for battery storage—sufficient to power about 467,000 homes each day.
Amazon is involved as an offtaker for this project and is also collaborating with AES at Baldy Mesa, where machine learning is being implemented to optimize the charging and discharging processes of battery systems.
AES has also highlighted its Oak Ridge Solar project in Louisiana, aimed at supporting Amazon’s operations, as a significant step in Maximo’s deployment journey. According to Kara Hurst, Amazon’s chief sustainability officer, partnerships with innovative renewable energy developers like AES are essential to meet growing energy demands while introducing new renewables to the grid.
Maximo has undergone extensive field testing and has proven its capability across various project locations in the U.S. It is set to commence installations at the Bellefield site in August.
Source
www.therobotreport.com