Arena Funds Solar Robotics Manufacturing in Australia
On Tuesday, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) revealed its plan to invest up to $31.1 million to set up manufacturing facilities for robotic technologies aimed at enhancing solar farm construction.
This investment is part of the second phase of ARENA’s Solar Sunshot Program and will facilitate the establishment of manufacturing sites in Melbourne and Brisbane, focusing on two types of automated technologies: robots that install solar panels and those that drive foundation piles.
Robotics Transforming Construction Processes
The integration of robotics into solar farm construction is becoming more prevalent, aiming to minimise the reliance on demanding and often hazardous unskilled labour while simultaneously lowering costs and expediting various construction and maintenance tasks.
Recently, robots have played a vital role in the construction of numerous solar farms across Australia. Notable examples include the 250-megawatt (MW) Goorambat East solar project in Victoria and the 350 MW Culcairn solar farm in New South Wales, where the US-based robotics company Luminous Robotics deployed its Lumi robot for panel installation.
Innovative Robot Technologies on the Horizon
Luminous previously secured $4.9 million through ARENA’s Solar ScaleUp Challenge to showcase the capabilities of its Lumi robot, which excels at the “pick and place” of solar panels during the assembly process.
In addition to the Lumi, an autonomous electric robot designed to inspect solar panels at utility-scale farms is set to make its Australian debut, forming part of another ARENA-supported initiative aimed at testing and implementing cutting-edge technologies.
Insight from ARENA’s CEO
Darren Miller, CEO of ARENA, commented, “Establishing foundations and placing panels represents two of the most labour-intensive phases of solar farm construction.” He added that it involves challenging work under the harsh sun.
Miller emphasised the urgency for Australia to install solar energy solutions rapidly and economically, stating, “Local manufacturing and automation can enhance the construction process of solar farms, making it quicker, safer, and more efficient—key components of ARENA’s vision for ultra-low-cost solar energy.”
Funding Distribution and Future Plans
This week’s announcement regarding the new funding will be divided between two firms, including Luminous Robotics and Built Robotics Australia.
Luminous Robotics will receive up to $17.8 million to establish a manufacturing facility in Melbourne for its Lumi robots. The facility, once operational, aims to support the production and distribution of approximately 100 Lumi robots by 2029.
Tenzin Crouch, General Manager of Luminous Robotics Australia, stated, “We’ve demonstrated the effectiveness of Lumi on actual solar farms in Australia, undertaking some of the toughest tasks on site. With ARENA’s backing, the next step is to scale production.”
Built Robotics’ Role in Automation
Built Robotics Australia, a local branch of the California-based Built Robotics, is set to receive up to $13.3 million to create a manufacturing hub and operations centre in Brisbane for its autonomous piling systems designed for utility-scale solar construction.
Unlike Luminous’s Lumi robots, Built Robotics’ piling robots focus on automating one of the most labour-intensive aspects of building solar farms. The upcoming facility is expected to manufacture and deploy 12 robotic piling systems.
Paul Kelly, Vice President of Business Development at Built Robotics, remarked, “Australia has proven that construction robotics and physical AI can thrive in the field. We are now bringing that technology home.”
He further noted, “Our Brisbane hub will make Queensland a centre for autonomous solar construction, generating local skilled jobs and establishing a supply chain that supports projects throughout Australia, building on nearly a decade of efforts we’ve put into this region.”
