Comau worked with EDP to test this heavy-duty robot for solar panel installation. Source: Comau
While policies around alternative energy sources may shift, overall energy demand is still leading to growing interest in automation. Last year, Comau S.p.A. partnered with global energy company EDP SA to advance automation for solar panel installation.
“Our relationship with EDP goes back a few years,” noted Nicole Clement, chief business-unit leader for advanced automation solutions at Comau. “They approached us with their pain point, which is that they have to install a lot of solar panel fields in the near future. The installation frequency has to triple in the next three years to meet European expectations, and EDP needed a solution that was very flexible.”
Lisbon, Portugal-based EDP claimed that 98% of its energy comes from renewable sources, and it has installed solar capacity of more than 4GW. The company has pledged to be “100% green” by 2030, and it has more than 13,000 employees worldwide.
That global scale led EDP to seek a partner that also has an international presence, and Comau is in 12 countries, said Clement.
“It needed someone close to customers who can connect quickly in the field,” she told The Robot Report. “EDP told us that it looked at other solutions, but Comau’s technology, size, flexibility, service, and financial strength made us their first choice.”
Comau, EDP progress from testing to scaling
In 2023, Comau unveiled its Hyperflex mobile factory, which uses robots, lifting equipment, and other proprietary technologies developed in-house. The system is designed to assemble solar blades, which can measure 48 sq. m (516.6 sq. ft.), directly in the field.
Hyperflex can increase rate of modules installed per hour by up to 30%, bring new plants to market up to 25% faster, and save an average of 35% per panel, claimed Comau. It can also accommodate different trackers and panels to meet the varied needs of energy providers, the Turin, Italy-based company said.
“In this joint commercial innovation project, EDP is very innovative and has seen that they cannot roll out systems in slow motion,” Clement said. “Our solution was a ‘factory in a truck’ that was adaptable and can get to market quickly.”
The companies went from a pilot in 2022 to a large-scale test in October 2024. The AutoPV project in Spain demonstrated Comau’s automatic assembly station and a rover to transport and position photovoltaic structures. Over the next month, installation took half the time of purely manual processes, said Clement.
Comau developed with EDP a “factory in a truck” including robot arms and mobile robots. Source: Comau
Hyperflex posed design challenges
For its portable factory to work, Comau had to account for varied conditions and space limitations. A robot arm with a 300 kg (661.3 lb.) capacity picks up the solar panel and makes sure it’s mounted on a tracker system. Two operators then secure the panel, and then the rover moves it into the field.
“Comau is very committed to renewable energy and going outdoors. It’s not like a warehouse floor,” added Clement. “We have another project in shipbuilding with outdoor welding. Our robots can operate in harsh conditions. For example, Spain has had a lot of rain recently, which is different than our operations in Australia. We had to modify our sensors to overcome rain, dust, sand, and mud. We’ve also done a lot of work on the surface of the robot and grippers.”
The autonomous rover needed a small turning radius and had to absorb shocks traveling over uneven ground.
“From an ergonomic perspective, we had to think about bringing tractors to work in tight spaces,” she recalled. “We had to overcome logistics challenges and developed a compact tractor with a partner. The factory in a box was not what we originally thought of, but EDP needed to increase productivity. The way to a field can be blocked, so we needed everything to be on there.”
EDP looks ahead to fewer operators
While Hyperflex requires fewer operators than conventional solar panel installation, the operators still need some training. As part of Comau’s maintenance and service package, the company trains operators how to guide the tractor system so the rover can assemble the panels.
“We also offer training and business modeling for the installers to understand the ROI [return on investment],” said Clement. “The primary reason EDP wanted automation is not to have fewer people now but because it sees in five to 10 years even fewer available. Jobs with heavy lifting pose ergonomic constraints, and not a lot of people will want to do them.”
In addition to workforce challenges, robots offer tangible benefits in improved safety and efficiency for existing crews, she said.
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Field robots just starting to realize their potential
Field robots often rely on rental or robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) models because that is how many companies manage their equipment.
“We’re still in discussions about the business model and who’s using this machine,” acknowledged Clement. “Solar panel installers are not necessarily capital-equipped, so they’re looking more at a rental model.”
“The first step was that EDP had to endorse Hyperflex to the installer community and specify it to them,” she added. “We’re discussing multiple options on how installers will deploy and use it.”
Comau is in discussions with EDP and other organizations to deploy the system in Australia, and it is looking at the U.S., Europe, and Africa. The company is seeing the market become more competitive, not from other robotics suppliers, but from solar engineering firms.
“There’s also interest from energy providers,” Clement noted. She said that Comau expects photovoltaic panel installation will experience a 10% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2022 and 2030.
Could a rugged mobile manipulator be useful for other industries, such as construction, shipbuilding, and infrastructure/utilities?
“We have some projects going on with both Hyperflex and MR4Weld, as well as with the University of Torino, but it’s still early days,” replied Clement. “We’re thinking of how to work with different materials onsite and providing safety and flexibility for operators. Our solution for scalable, movable, and repeatable applications outdoors is all part of our value proposition moving forward.”
Editor’s note: Mike Oitzman contributed to this article.
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