China-headquartered smart solutions company LEAPTING’s automatic navigation solar module-mounting robot is helping speed up the installation of French energy giant Neoen’s utility-scale 44o MWp Culcairn solar farm.
Currently under construction in New South Wales (NSW) 50 kilometres north of Albury, the robot is capable of installing 60 modules an hour or one per minute.
It can lift modules weighing up to 30 kilograms and is a 4.5 metre-long, 2.8-metre-wide, and 2.5-metre-high machine, equipped with multi-directional sensors and posture recognition technology, plus a high-passability chassis that enables it to operate in various complex outdoor terrains.
The moducle-mounting robot represents China’s first photovoltaic module installation robot capable of autonomously adapting to challenging work environments.
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Core technologies include a high-precision intelligent perception system and powerful visual large model algorithms, integrated with a 3D vision system supported by multi-modal sensors, which allows for real-time perception of the power station infrastructure environment.
It also features automatic identification of photovoltaic module placement and rotation angles, and precise alignment with support inclinations, ensuring accurate control throughout the process.
Compared to traditional manual installation methods, within an 8-hour workday, LEAPTING says a single worker can install approximately 90-120 modules daily, while the robot’s installation efficiency increases by 3-5 times, significantly reducing the overall project duration.
The company says the concept of “robotic replacement of manual installation” is still in the exploratory and refinement stage, but believes through continuous technological innovation, the module-mounting robot will play a crucial role in the intelligent and automated development of the photovoltaic energy field.
Image: Neoen
Neoen says 600 workers installed 98,000 piles at Culcairn in December 2024 and 95% of the tracking structure was complete by February 2025, along with 25% of inverter stations, and over 350,000 solar panels or the equivalent of more than half total modules planned.
They also announced in February 2025, 10 new trainees enrolled through an internal mentoring program and more than 40 First Nations apprentices and trainees have been recruited to the solar farm.
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