Australia's next generation of solar farm workers are artificially intelligent, packed with cameras, and impervious to sunburn.
The CSIRO unveiled its All Terrain Robot on Wednesday after trialling the technology at large solar projects around Australia to test whether the autonomous creations can take on dangerous, dirty work that would otherwise be performed by humans.
The trials come as the number of utility-scale solar farms in Australia grows, and older projects require more maintenance and repairs.
Researchers at the science agency repurposed robot rovers designed for use on mine sites for its trial, which included a test run on a solar project under construction in Dubbo, NSW.
The autonomous robot is equipped with cameras for visual inspections, an infrared camera to detect hotspots and electrical faults, and LiDAR for 3D-mapping.
The device, nicknamed Bear, uses cameras and sensors to create a digital map of a solar farm and AI software to identify maintenance issues.
Hazards in solar farms can include faulty wiring, damage to panels, loose hardware, or a build-up of dust, dirt, insect nests, and bird droppings that can reduce a panel's effectiveness.
Putting robots in the field could identify problems before they become significant, CSIRO senior principal research scientist Peyman Moghadam said.
"We are not just collecting images or 3D data, we are building the foundations for intelligent solar operations where data from robots, fixed sensors and field systems can be combined," he said.
"This supports better proactive maintenance decisions and more resilient performance over time."
Using robots to perform solar panel maintenance could also take the hot and hazardous task away from humans, CSIRO senior robotics engineer Ross Dungavell said, and instead employ them behind the scenes in technical roles.
"Often you cannot get someone to go out there under such harsh conditions for extended periods of time," he said.
"The robot logs and stores every piece of data it captures (and) its sensors are able to find any fault a panel might have."
After conducting successful trials at pilot sites, the CSIRO will seek to partner with renewable energy firms to expand the robots' reach.
Solar power generation makes up 13 per cent of energy in the National Electricity Market, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator, and utility-scale solar represents 21 per cent of Australia's fuel mix.
Australian Associated Press
