Automating Solar PV Installation (Auto PV)
AutoPV project general objective is to identify and test automated solutions, both robotic and computer-aided, that assist workers in the construction of solar PV plants while increasing operational efficiency. Through automation, EDP aims to reduce solar park assembly time by up to 50%, allowing for faster deployment of renewable energy resources. Automation technology will take on heavy-lifting tasks, enabling human workers to focus on specialized roles, ensuring a safer work environment and creating a human-machine collaboration model that refines processes for improved speed and efficiency in future projects.
The AutoPV project started in 2022 after EDP Innovation's Renewables technical domain detected the global trend of automation in the renewables sector and confirmed a real business need to optimize PV construction operations. COMAU’s technology was selected for the first pilot given its technical maturity and impact in the construction process. The technology involves an assembly station (Hyperflex) and a rover, which positions the pre-assembled structure in its final location in the field. The system is designed to perform the heaviest tasks, contributing positively to worker's health and safety. The pilot aimed to evaluate the advantages of these new technologies and their scaling potential.
By December 2024, automation pilot in Valladolid ended successfully with the construction of 3MW with COMAU’s Hyperflex system, being ensured both structure and modules quality. This pilot was just the first step development and implementation of automation technologies in EDP PV plants, improving the safety and efficiency of our operations.
The project involved the collaboration and involvement from several EDP group companies and in the future we would like to implemented automation in other parts of the process and in other EDP geographies such as the US or APAC. The goal of the AutoPV team is to implement the best solutions in our solar PV plants, thus obtaining the benefits of automation for EDP on a global scale.
