The US-headquartered clean energy technology company Nextpower (NX) Ranger autonomous inspection robot is included in a three-year $25 million (USD 17.5 million) Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)-funded trial seeking ways to achieve ultra low-cost solar (ULCS), and led by NSW-headquartered clean energy company Equans Solar and Storage.
Marking the Ranger’s first use at an Australian solar farm, the system utilitises advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and dual thermal-optical cameras to find and flag issues, which contributes to lowering operation costs.
The NX Ranger navigates row-by-row beneath modules using four-wheel drive (4WD) mobility to tackle remote terrain to a 30o incline, for up to 18 hours on a single charge, with a 6-hour recharge turnaround using a standard 120V outlet.
Called Lightspeed, the trial will see Equans Solar and Storage also deploy approximatley 10 emerging technologies including construction robotics and automated piling systems that have the potential to reduce labour-intensive activities, improve construction efficiency, increase productivity, enhance project delivery, and collectively reduce the levelised cost of energy (LCOE) of solar.
Equans Solar and Storage Innovation & Development Director Benoit Froidurot said robotics supported by digital and AI will contribute to ensuring the volume of renewable assets needed can be met.
“It can help achieve cost reduction and assist with overcoming some of the grid integration restrictions of solar energy,” Froidurot said.
“Consequently, Lightspeed Solar project proposed by Equans Solar & Storage and supported by ARENA is a tremendous opportunity to pioneer in emerging technologies for site constructions and operations, as well as scaling up the use of automated machines and systems.”
The trial is motivated by ARENA’s ambition to achieve a 30% module efficiency at an installed cost of 30 cents per watt, by 2030.
ARENA Chief Executive Officer Darren Miller said supporting the trial of multiple innovation projects under a single funding portfolio can test technologies more quickly in real-world environments and at a greater scale.
“This approach allows promising innovations to move from concept to real-world deployment faster, while ensuring lessons learned can be shared across the industry,” Miller said.
A similar ‘portfolio-style approach’ is already generating early learnings from Fortescue’s Pilbara Solar Innovation Hub, which has produced a report sharing insights on autonomous piling technology at the Cloudbreak Solar Farm in remote Pilbara conditions.
Equan’s Lightspeed project will build on this model by creating further opportunities to test, validate and share learnings from emerging technologies that can improve how large-scale solar projects are designed, built and operated, ARENA said.
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