{"id":562597,"date":"2026-03-25T04:38:06","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T04:38:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/562597\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T04:38:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T04:38:06","slug":"how-a-robot-named-bear-is-making-solar-farm-maintenance-safer-and-more-efficient","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/562597\/","title":{"rendered":"How a robot named Bear is making solar farm maintenance safer and more efficient"},"content":{"rendered":"

Australia\u2019s national science agency has repurposed robots originally designed for the mining industry to track across thousands of kilometres harsh terrain and inspect the hundreds of thousands of solar panels that make up large-scale PV projects, hunting out any faults they might have.<\/p>\n

The team of CSIRO robotics and solar engineers said on Wednesday that an autonomous robot \u2013 dubbed \u201cBear\u201d \u2013 had successfully navigated a series of small-scale trials and would soon be tested at a larger solar farm, and the results compared to a human assessment.<\/p>\n

The robots have been programmed to autonomously navigate solar farms in all terrains and conditions, to build precise maps to digitise site conditions, avoid hazards\u00a0and develop a holistic scene understanding.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They then detect faults in a project\u2019s panels \u2013 in bigger solar farms, there can be upwards of 500,000 \u2013 including dust build-up, insect nests or bird droppings, physical damage, loose nuts or bolts, hotspots in panels or electrical connectors, and wiring that needs repair.<\/p>\n

The suite of sensors equipped on the robots include Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) for\u00a0accurate\u00a03D perception, RGB cameras for visual inspection, and thermal infrared cameras to\u00a0identify\u00a0electrical faults and hotspots.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kenrick Anderson, a senior photovoltaic engineer at CSIRO, says the project is not just about improving efficiency and safety at solar farms, but automating a job that for humans classifies as unskilled labour, but is repetitive and can be gruelling and even dangerous in harsh Australian conditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re really focused on trying to replace unskilled roles, the backpacker labour where it\u2019s really screaming out for, we need more people in this space,\u201d Anderson told Renew Economy.<\/p>\n

The technology also supports the creation of skilled regional jobs, shifting the focus to targeted technical work in solar farm maintenance, as well as robotics\u00a0support\u00a0and data analysis.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re also looking at quality assurance,\u201d he adds. \u201cWe\u2019d be confident saying that a robot could replace \u2013 using technology and sensors \u2013 a full-time worker in that job and they would also do it a bit quicker, too, so the farms can have their reports back quicker.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anderson says early detection of things like panel hotspots \u2013 which are caused by micro-cracks in the silicon \u2013 and electrical issues are crucial to to\u00a0maintain\u00a0panel performance, enhance stability of energy output and extend asset lifespan.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHotspots decrease the efficiency of a PV panel over time, because of the electrical and thermal imbalance they cause within the module.\u202fIf solar farms cost less to run, and can be more consistent in their energy output, this increases the stability of the grid.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Safety is also an issue. Anderson says on rare occasions \u2013 and if not detected early enough \u2013 hotspots and wiring faults can cause fires at solar projects. \u201cSo picking them up is important to asset owners,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Peyman Moghadam, a senior principal research scientist at CSIRO says that beyond the very specific role\u202fof the robots like Bear, the work reflects the agency\u2019s broader vision for next-generation robotics accelerate the energy transition and support the path to net zero.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not just collecting images or 3D data,\u201d Moghadam says. \u201cWe are building the foundations for intelligent solar operations, where data from robots, fixed sensors and field systems can be combined. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis supports better proactive maintenance decisions and more resilient performance over time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have been doing robotics for many, many years in mining, defense and agriculture,\u201d adds Anderson. \u201cSo it was kind of an opportunity\u2026 [to] bring that experience \u2026 to the [renewable energy] sector and see what we can do.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you wish to support independent media, and accurate information, please consider making a one off donation or becoming a regular supporter of Renew Economy. Please click here. Your support is invaluable.<\/a><\/p>\n

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