AI-Powered Robots Install Solar Panels Faster Than Any Humans

Lumimous Robotics, with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, is having a major impact on the solar industry half a world away in the town of Benalla, 130 miles northeast of Melbourne, Australia. That’s where its robotic solar panel installation machines are helping construct a 250 MW solar power facility in record time. When fully completed in 2026, the Goorambat East solar farm will consist of nearly 600,000 solar panels, most of them installed by the company’s Lumi 4 robots.

In a post on LinkedIn, Luminous Robotics founder and CEO Jay Wong wrote,

“The Luminous S4 fleet is live on Goorambat East Solar Farm, a 319 MWdc (250 MWac) site built by one of the largest construction companies on the planet, Bouygues Construction…..for one of the largest energy companies in the world, ENGIE, in the most advanced and intense solar energy markets on the globe, Australia.

“Our team has pulled off the most aggressive logistics + manufacturing + field deployment timeline to date. The result: LUMI exceeding target production rate, at 103% — with key data & flow insights to shockingly increase nameplate capacity towards 246%.

“This demanded a Herculean effort from Boston HQ, our newly established AU division, and a team of boots on the ground operators to deliver this vision halfway across the world, at unparalleled execution speed — which was only made possible by leaders who all laced up their boots on Aussie soil to deliver something truly impactful.

“Fueled by support from Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), we’re keen to accelerate our next phase where we fine tune the LUMI fleet’s capabilities — further advancing and optimizing flow, autonomy, reliability, manufacturability, and massively improving energy infrastructure at scale. Stay tuned!

Here is a video of the Lumi 4 robots in operation. [It is best watched with the rather annoying sound track muted.]

Robots Lower Solar Installation Costs

A report by Sustainability Times claims that by reducing construction time and labor costs, these machines can make solar energy projects more financially viable. “This could lead to an increase in the number of solar farms, contributing to a more sustainable energy grid. Furthermore, the environmental benefits are significant. By facilitating the rapid deployment of solar panels, robots can accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels, reducing carbon emissions and contributing to global climate goals.”

Justin Webb is the project manager for ENGIE in Australia. “The system was used to install pilings and more recently solar panels, with American company Luminous testing their LUMI system outside of the US for the first time and demonstrating the future of solar farm construction,” Webb said, according to Interesting Engineering.

“The intended higher productivity of these autonomous systems will reduce the cost of renewable energy projects and enable projects to be built in less time – which will bring down energy costs for consumers and potentially allow more solar farms to be built.”

The robots also require skilled technicians to operate them, resulting in upskilling the current renewable energy workforce and enabling more productivity, Webb added. “The use of autonomous robots could also have large benefits for the construction of solar farms in remote and inhospitable areas, such as is deserts, where the climate could be dangerous for human staff.”

Open Source Database

Luminous Robotics and ARENA will soon release a comprehensive robotics dataset to the public, which they hope will encourage further innovation and collaboration. By making this data available, they aim to democratize solar technology and enable more communities to benefit from clean energy. This open source approach could accelerate advancements in robotic capabilities and pave the way for more efficient solar installations in the future.

There are always a concern when the word “robot” is introduced into a conversation that humans will be displaced, leading to a world much like that envisioned in the Disney movie Wall-E. But the parties building the Goorambat East say there are new opportunities for human workers made possible by the use of these robots.

The integration of robotics into solar farm construction is not only about efficiency but also about fostering a skilled workforce. Justin Webb said the LUMI robots require skilled technicians, which creates new job opportunities in the renewable energy sector. He points out that robots could be especially beneficial in remote and harsh regions where working conditions can be challenging. Morocco and other parts of the MENA area come to mind as places where robots could play an important role.

“In the longer term, with continued development, robots like these will also enable a reduction in health and safety related risks from construction projects, for example reducing the manual handling of heavy solar panels,” Justin Webb said.

Leapting Robots Are Also In Australia

The Lumi 4 is not the only robot installing solar panels in Australia. China — not surprisingly — is also using robots at its massive solar installations. Earlier this year, robots from China’s Leapting began installing solar panels at a solar form in New South Wales. In February, my colleague, Derek Markham wrote:

“By making solar farm construction faster, safer, and more efficient, Leapting’s robot could help accelerate the global transition to renewable energy. With the industry pushing for lower costs and increased deployment of solar power, automation might just be the missing piece that makes large-scale solar even more viable.

“In addition to the module mounting robot, Leapting also offers other PV-focused automated products, such as a module-cleaning robot and a module-inspection robot, which can be integrated into large solar farms to enhance efficiency and lower labor costs.”

Using high-precision visual recognition technology, the robot can accurately detect the structure and spacing of panel supports, ensuring each module is placed quickly and precisely. The robot is designed to handle PV modules weighing up to 30 kilograms utilizing a powerful suction cup system.

It has a high clearance chassis and crawler tracks, and features fully automated navigation, including obstacle avoidance systems. Equipped with high-precision visual recognition technology, it accurately perceives the structure and spacing of supports, which ensures the precise installation of each module.

Leapting reports that the robots can install 60 modules per hour — a rate of one module per minute. This automated process not only significantly increases efficiency but also reduces the safety risks associated with manual labor, leading to an estimated 30% reduction in installation costs.

Moving Solar Forward

Anything that moves the renewable energy transition forward and makes it more competitive with thermal generation is welcome news. Leapting and Luminous seem to be leaders in this new technology, but others are sure to join in the fun in the future. The question some will have is whether involving robots takes away from the promise of good paying jobs for workers from other industries.

Luminous says humans are still needed to maintain the robots and do the work of fastening the panels to the racking systems after the robot puts them in position. Yet someone, somewhere is surely working on a machine that will perform that task as well someday.

Australia has fully embraced solar power whereas other countries remain mired in NIMBY purgatory and strong political headwinds. Luminous may be targeting the Australian market partly because of a lack of customers in its home country.

Source: https://cleantechnica.com/2025/10/06/ai-powered-robots-install-solar-panels-faster-than-any-humans/