Meet Maximo – the AI-powered robot changing the solar energy sector

The renewable energy sector is developing at a fast pace both in Bulgaria and globally. Thus, technology and equipment are crucial for the sector to advance to meet the growing energy demand. Always in the forefront of innovation and paving the way to a greener and smarter energy future, the AES Corporation launched recently the first AI-enabled solar installation robot in the world. Meet Maximo – the robot that deploys solar panels in half the time and at half the cost and will enhance solar installation speed, efficiency, and safety.

Maximo is technology agnostic and easily adapts to any solar module, extending its compatibility to a variety of tracker and mounting systems. The robot leverages generative AI and advanced robotics to deliver precise and rapid mechanical installation of solar modules. Its cutting-edge safety features eliminate the safety risks related to manual lifting of solar panels, which are becoming bigger and heavier with the advancement of technology, enabling a more diverse workforce to enter the solar industry. Maximo works alongside construction teams, adding precision, speed and safety to the solar installation process.

‘Maximo is the first proven solar installation robot on the market,’ said Andrés Gluski, AES President and CEO. ‘We are facing unprecedented increases in demand, driven in large part by the rise of AI and data centers, and innovations like these will be fundamental for accelerating our ability to bring projects online faster and with greater efficiency’, Gluski added.

According to the IEA, by 2035, solar annual additions are expected to triple, and the workforce will need to nearly double. Maximo can install solar panels in half the time and half the cost, working together with on-the-ground crews to accelerate renewable energy deployment, reducing time-to-power for customers.

Maximo has already installed nearly 10 MW of solar and is projected to install 100 MW by 2025. AES expects to use Maximo to help build up to 5 GW of its solar backlog and pipeline over the next three years. The robot can perform in a broad range of climates and lighting conditions and has been validated in the field across a variety of US project sites. AES will utilize Maximo in its construction of the 2 GW Bellefield project in Kern County, California, the largest solar-plus-storage project in the US, under contract with Amazon.

‘Today, the US solar industry is setting an impressive pace, installing about 15,000 modules per hour, weighing one million pounds. Looking ahead, this installation rate is projected to reach 50,000 modules per hour by 2035,’ said Chris Shelton, AES Chief Product Officer. ‘In response to this exponential growth, we are scaling Maximo, deploying fleets of continually improving robots to empower our teams for faster and more competitive installations’, Shelton explained. ‘We are really focused on speed. And by speed, we mean speed for the customers — so getting these projects online faster —and speed for the energy transition. The more [solar] we can deploy, the more we can reduce overall carbon in the economy’, Shelton said during a call with reporters, Business Insider informed.

Maximo is the only construction automation solution that provides the full end-to-end mechanical installation of solar modules directly in the field. The solar robot results in faster installation and creates safer working conditions, as construction teams do not need to lift heavy commercial solar panels – nor bend to place them – therefore reducing the risk of injury. Maximo is equipped with a variety of controls and safety measures that allow it to work reliably in the field. The solar robot’s AI-enabled computer vision system detects any inconsistencies in the installation process and self-corrects to minimize any interruptions. The Maximo User Interface enables the operator to monitor the status of the Maximo unit, including the vision system and battery charge state.

Scaling solar farm and battery storage development is key to meeting global climate goals. But adding Maximo to solar sites could also fuel concerns that robots will dim human job prospects, just as automation replaced some factory jobs. Ron Rodrique, Vice President of Project Management at AES, said Maximo isn’t replacing human solar installers at the company's projects, Business Insider reported. ‘Maximo is not out there to replace the panel installers or other people that we have on our sites. This is really about that safety aspect of taking away some of the heavy lifting that people have to do’, he added.

Maximo's cutting-edge technology promises to revolutionize the solar industry. By streamlining installation processes and enhancing safety, these advancements will play a pivotal role in increasing the adoption of renewable energy. Maximo will contribute significantly to accelerating the transition to a greener, smarter energy future.