US robotics firm Luminous has secured $4.9 million in federal government funding to deploy its autonomous solar installation robots in Australia, in the first major award under the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) $100 million Solar ScaleUp Challenge.
The LUMI robots are designed to automate the labor intensive task of solar panel installation, speeding up large-scale solar farm construction by as much as 350 per cent while reducing labour intensity and costs.
Luminous has partnered with global engineering firm Equans to deploy the robots at the 440MWp Neoen Culcairn Solar Farm in New South Wales and the 250MW Engie Goorambat East Solar Farm in Victoria.
ARENA chief executive Darren Miller explained reducing operation and maintenance costs in large-scale solar deployment was critically important for the renewables sector, saying that “solutions like LUMI are key to reducing costs and maintaining Australia’s leading role in the development and innovation of solar technologies.”
“To achieve net zero, Australia will need immense amounts of solar power at ultra-low cost. We’ve already proven our ability to manufacture advanced technologies. It’s now time to apply that capability to solar PV, a cornerstone of the nation’s clean energy future.”
The Solar ScaleUp Challenge aims to accelerate innovation in large-scale solar by supporting projects that can significantly reduce costs and improve efficiency. Luminous’ LUMI robots represent a step forward in achieving these goals, potentially lowering solar farm costs by up to 6.2 per cent.
Luminous chief executive Jay M Wong expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “With LUMI, we’re not just introducing a robot – we’re setting out to redefine the standard for how solar farms are built and help sites energise faster and safer.”
This initiative aligns with ARENA’s broader objective of reducing the installed cost of solar to 30 cents per watt and bringing the cost of electricity below $20 per megawatt hour.
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