Sarcos completes solar panel installation demonstration

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Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation announced that it successfully completed the final validation of its Outdoor Autonomous Manipulation of Photovoltaic Panels (O-AMPP) project. 

The O-AMPP project began in 2021 with funding support from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO). The project aims to streamline the process of solar field construction into one harmonized robotic system that can deliver, detect, lift and place photovoltaic modules in the field. 

Sarcos hopes that the project will result in lower soft costs for similar projects, the ability to engage in more projects simultaneously, improved construction timelines and quality and a safer worksite that reduces the risk of injuries, including lifting and fatigue-related injuries. 

The O-AMPP proof-of-concept consists of an Autonomous Working Vehicle (AWV) featuring the Guardian XM robotic system and an Autonomous Delivery Vehicle (ADV). The proof-of-concept was used to optimize the flow of photovoltaic modules from delivery to installation. 

“Achieving this market validation and field test milestone is a mission-critical step on our path to commercializing our robotic solar field construction solution and, ultimately, enhancing safety and productivity in the solar field construction industry,” Kiva Allgood, president and CEO of Sarcos, said. “I am grateful to the teams at Mortenson, JLG Industries, Pratt Miller, and Array Technologies for their support, expertise, and resources throughout this process, and we look forward to collaborating in the future as we prepare to make this solution readily available to the industry.”

During the field trial, Sarcos collaborated with Mortenson, JLG Industries, Array Technologies and Pratt Miller. Mortenson provided critical subject matter expertise and the validation site. JLG Industries supplied the mobile elevating platform used for the AWV and that the Guardian XM robotic system was mounted to and integrated with. 

Array Technologies supplied the tracker technology and engineering resources used in the project. Pratt Miller provided the mobile base on which the ADV prototype was built. 

“The solar construction industry is facing unprecedented labor shortages while simultaneously facing an increase in demand for solar energy,” Trent Mostaert, vice president of industrialization at Mortenson, said. “We believe the O-AMPP system can address these challenges while improving safety, productivity, and efficiency for our workers. It will also enable solar project developers to scale output and production to the levels needed to achieve the Energy Department’s 2030 and 2050 renewable energy goals. We are excited about the possibilities and potential impact of the O-AMPP system in solar construction.”