The first of Chinese company Leapting’s AI-driven solar module-mounting robots to be deployed in Australia will be used to install panels at a 350 MW solar farm being built in southern New South Wales.

Leapting, a high-tech company specialising in intelligent automation for the PV industry, said it will provide an automatic-navigation PV module-mounting robot to accelerate the construction of the 350 MW Culcairn Solar Farm being built in the New South Wales (NSW) Riverina region.

The project is being constructed by French renewable energy and battery storage developer Neoen on an approximately 1,000-hectare site near Culcairn, about 45 kilometres north of Albury. It is expected to be operational in 2026.

Leapting said its autonomous PV module-mounting robot, due to commence operations on site later this month, will enable full automation of the module installation process, driving greater efficiencies, cutting labour costs and reducing construction time.

“This robot can autonomously stack and lift modules layer by layer, arranging each array and installing each module individually,” the company said, noting that the automatic installation speed can reach 60 modules per hour.

“This significantly reduces the time and economic costs associated with traditional manual installation, shortens the overall project construction cycle, and enables the power station to become operational faster, thereby generating power benefits sooner,” Leapting said.

The machine features a caterpillar-track chassis, fully automated navigation and obstacle avoidance systems, and is equipped with a solar panel tray. It utilises a robotic arm to pick up and place solar panels onto solar brackets. The AI vision recognition system precisely “identifies” the position of the solar brackets and calculates their location relative to the torque tube. This ensures accurate placement and securing of the panels, completing the installation process. Tests have shown that the installation speed can reach one panel per minute.

Leapting estimates that manual installation of a module typically requires the collaboration of three or four people and requires 15 minutes from transporting the modules to securing them on the brackets.

“Compared to traditional manual installation methods, automated installation not only significantly increases efficiency but also reduces the safety risks associated with manual labour, with an estimated 30% reduction in installation costs,” the company said.

“The intelligent installation method clearly offers a more efficient alternative.”

Leapting confirmed it has already shipped the module-mounting robot to Australia with the machine scheduled to arrive in the coming days when it will be dispatched to the project site for approximately one week of commissioning work.

“We anticipate that the installation and operation will commence officially by mid-February,” the company said.

In addition to the module-mounting robot, Leapting also offers other PV-focused automated products, including a module-cleaning robot and a module-inspection robot.

Leapting expects its products will be of particular interest to IPPs and EPC companies in the Australia market, which it described as a high labour cost region that would benefit from an increased use of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) in operations and maintenance.

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